Mario Kart Adventures
by firedragon24k
Summary: Mario and his friends are racing to the finish line so, here are some stories and poems based on the Mario Kart series.
1. Bowser Jr's Race

**Bowser Jr.'s Championship Mario Kart Race**

It's a beautiful afternoon at Mario Circuit where the final race of the Mario Kart season takes place. The crowd starts to cheer as Lakitu begins to speak.

"Good afternoon race fans and welcome to today's championship race and what a better way to end the tournament with one final race and we're coming to you live from Mario Circuit, the most popular racetrack of the season." Lakitu said as the crowd cheered, "That's right folks, one race will decide who will be crowned the champion. This is going to be a great race, so stick around!"

As Lakitu continues to speak, Bowser Jr. was at the starting line, washing up his green and orange go-kart. Bowser Jr. smiled and said, "I can't believe that this is it. The final race of the tournament has arrived and if I win today, then I'll be crowned the grand champion! Now all I need is a little more orange paint and, done. The go-kart is ready to race. Well, let's do it!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to meet today's twelve racers! Are you ready to meet them?" Lakitu asked.

"YES!" the crowd cheered.

"Now, that's more like it! Let's meet our first racer of the day. In position number 1 is a true Koopa. He raced his way throughout the tournament and traveled along with his dad. Making his way to the racetrack is a fan favorite among others. The Koopa Prince of the Castle… BOWSER JR.!"

As Bowser Jr. makes his way to the racetrack, the crowd starts to cheer and held up signs that says, "Go Jr., Go!" on one side and on the other is a full body picture of himself. When Jr. got to the starting line, the crowd received his biggest applause. Lakitu came to him and said, "Bowser Jr., welcome to the finals!"

"Thanks, Lakitu." Jr. replied, "It's a pleasure to be here racing for the trophy and my green and orange go-kart is ready to go."

"I see that you got your go-kart revved up and ready to go but I'm going to ask you one question. What's in store for today's race?"

"Well ref, today's race is going to be a fantastic way to end the tournament and look at this course. There are no hazards in this course and I say that this is going to be a smooth race across the course and how many laps are there in this course?"

"Three." Lakitu replied as Bowser Jr. smiled.

"OK, I'll have a great race and today, I have my daddy and my siblings in the audience!"

"Wow, Bowser Jr. has brought Bowser and his seven Koopalings to today's race and they are here in the audience. Bowser Jr. good luck out there and thanks for talking with me today." Lakitu said.

"Anytime, Lakitu!"

"Alright, now let's see who is in position number two."

When Lakitu was finished announcing the racers, he said, "Well folks, this is it. In just a few moments, the race is about to start and before we do that, let's take a look at what is at stake here. The winner of this race will receive a championship trophy and in addition to the trophy, the winner will receive the grand prize! What's the grand prize for the winner? Well, you'll have to wait until the end of the race to find out. So, that's what's in store for the winner. And now, it's the moment that everyone's been waiting for! Racers… start your engines!"

The twelve engines started and the crowd cheered as the final race is about to begin. Bowser Jr. smiled and said, "This is it. The final race is about to start and I can't believe that I've made this far to today's championship race. Well, let's race!"

Lakitu came in with the start signal and said, "Alright ladies and gentlemen, this is it. In my fishing pole is the start signal. These three red lights right here will be the countdown to the start of the championship race and remember, the first racer who will cross the finish line at the end of the final lap is the winner. So, for the last time this season, I'm going to ask this question. Racers, are you ready?"

"YES!" the racers replied as Lakitu continues to speak.

"Alright then! So, hold on to your hats and get ready because it is time to start the countdown right here, right now! Now, may I have some silence from the crowd, please?"

The crowd grew very silent as Lakitu gets ready to push the green button.

"Thank you! And now it is time for me to push the green button and start the countdown. This is the last time that I'll be pushing this green button. Now, before I do that, I want to say that this has been a great season here and it all comes down to this final race. This race right here will decide it all and the best part about this race is to have fun and give it your all. That is my Mario Kart guarantee to you. Well folks, it is time at last! One push of the green button will start up my lights and the countdown to the race. So, without any further delay, here... we... go!"

And with that, Lakitu pushed the green button for the last time that will start up his lights. The crowd grew very silent as Lakitu counts down,

"3..."

Not one crowd member spoke…

"2..."

The engines all revved up as Lakitu counts again…

"1..."

All that's left is the green light and the race will officially begin. Bowser Jr. gripped his steering wheel very tightly, placed his foot on the gas pedal and took a deep breath. All he has to do now was watch and wait.

And then…

And then…

The light turns green. Lakitu raised his hand and threw it down as he said the only word…

"_**GO!**_"

Bowser Jr. stepped on the gas and took off with blazing speed. He smiled to the crowd and said, "Rocket Start!"

"And here we go as the final race has officially begun thanks to Bowser Jr.'s rocket start! I love rocket starts!" Lakitu announced as the race begins.

Two laps later, Bowser Jr. was having a fantastic race. Just one more lap and victory will be his!

"This is it, folks. The winner will soon be decided as the final lap really heats up. It's Bowser Jr. coming down the homestretch as he makes his way to the crowd and listen to that crowd. They want to see Bowser Jr. cross the finish line!" Lakitu announced as the crowd cheered.

Bowser Jr. smiled and said, "The finish line! I'm almost there! Just a few more feet until the checkered flag!"

Just then, a blue shell was heading straight for Bowser Jr.! Jr. stepped on the gas pedal very hard and then, the shell reached the finish line and Bowser Jr.!

"Oh! The shell reached the finish line and Bowser Jr. at the same time! Now, once the smoke clears, we'll have our winner." Lakitu said.

When the smoke cleared, it revealed… Bowser Jr.'s shell. Bowser Jr. has won the race!

"That… was… AMAZING!" Lakitu announced as he waved the checkered flag, "Bowser Jr. has reached the finish line with his shell which means, Bowser Jr. is our champion! I can't believe what just happened here folks, but Jr. fell out of the kart and when the blue shell reached him, his shell touched the checkered line which ends the race. Even though his kart didn't cross the line, but Jr.'s spiky shell does. This is the first time ever that one racer has crossed the line by using a body part and the crowd loves it! So, the winner is… _**BOWSER JR.!**_"

Bowser Jr. came out and said, "I won. I won! I can't believe that I just won the race! I'm so happy!"

Lakitu came in with the trophy and said, "Bowser Jr. Koopa, you did it! You've won the championship race by a shell! Congratulations on your big win! I thought you would finish in second place but, your shell nets you the championship trophy and I have it right here in my hand. Bowser Jr., you've earned it! The trophy is all yours! Congratulations, Bowser Jr.!"

Bowser Jr. agreed as he gets the trophy. He held it up high to the crowd as confetti fell across the stadium with the cheering crowd. Lakitu smiled and said, "And now, it is time to reveal the grand prize for our winner. Bowser Jr., your grand prize for winning the race is… a nice vacation in Isle Delfino!"

"A vacation? Wow!"

"That's right Bowser Jr. You'll be spending a nice vacation in beautiful Isle Delfino. Your vacation includes a nice stay at the Hotel Delfino where you can gamble at the casino, enjoy the sunset at Sirena Beach, drink some watermelon juice and swim in Gelato Beach, and you love roller coasters, right Jr.?"

"Of course!"

"Well, guess what. You'll be riding one in Pinna Park along with the Ferris Wheel, the Yoshi-Go-Round, and more! So, this vacation is all yours and you're not going alone because, you'll be going with your family!"

"Wow, thanks Lakitu. I guess I'll be going right now! Bowser, take us to Isle Delfino!" Bowser Jr. called to Bowser.

And so, Bowser Jr. deserves a nice vacation in Isle Delfino after a nice race.


	2. Dragon Puncher's Referee Appearance

**Dragon Puncher As The Mario Kart Referee**

"Good afternoon race fans!" Lakitu shouted as the crowd cheered, "Welcome to today's special exhibition race! Today's match features two racers going head to head in what promises to be the battle of the brothers and for the first time ever at Waluigi Stadium, we have a special guest referee who will keep this match fair and square. So, stick around folks because it's going to be a great battle!"

As Lakitu kept on talking, I said, "Wow, I'm going to be a special guest referee for the first time at Waluigi Stadium. I can't believe that I'm going to start the battle of the brothers! This is so exciting! Well, let's do it!"

Lakitu came back and said, "And now, it's time to meet our special guest referee for this battle of the brothers. He's been driving on the Fire Breath during his races and today, he'll keep this arena fair and square. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the racetrack the defending champion… _**DRAGON PUNCHER!**_"

As Lakitu heard my name, the crowd erupted in big cheers as I entered the track with the signal lights. I gave them a high five as I got to the starting line. Lakitu smiled and said, "Welcome back, grand champion!"

"Pleasure to be back once again, Lakitu." I replied, "I'm so glad to be the referee for this match since my final race at Mario Circuit as the Grand Champion and I'm so proud to have my cheering fans see me give the green light."

"I see. Well, do you want to introduce the two drivers that will compete in this race?" Lakitu asked.

I smiled to him and said, "It will be my pleasure! I love a good introduction and today, I'm going to do it! This is so cool!"

"Alright then. Dragon, introduce the drivers!"

"With pleasure!" I agreed. Then I took out the microphone and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the two drivers that will compete in this race. Please welcome to the racetrack… _**MARIO & LUIGI!**_"

Then, Mario and Luigi came in with their traditional karts as the crowd cheered. I said to the crowd, "Mario and Luigi are brothers. They live in the Mushroom Kingdom with their princess. They love adventures, sports, and racing. Today, they will compete against each other to see who can be a better brother!"

As Mario and Luigi made their way to the starting line, they saw me. Mario said, "Dragon, you're the referee of this race?"

"That's right, Mario!" I replied, "I'm the race official so I can make this race fair and square! Luigi, it looks like you're ready to go. Right?"

"That's right, Dragon." Luigi replied, "I love to be a racer and I'm so glad to see you shine the green light."

"Of course Luigi and are you ready for some Mario Kart racing?"

"Yeah!"

"Mario, are you ready?"

"Let's go!" Mario smiled to me.

"Alright then! Here are the rules. When I say go, you'll drive this course three times. That's three laps for the both of you. There are no items in this race so the first racer who will cross the finish line, wins. Are we clear on that?" I asked them.

"OK!" Mario and Luigi agreed.

"Very well, then. Mario and Luigi, I wish you both the best of luck out there and have a great race. Alright then, Mario and Luigi… _**START YOUR ENGINES!**_"

The brothers agreed as they started their engines. Then they shook their hands for a fair race. I smiled to them and said, "Wow, they're shaking hands before the green light. Now that is good sportsmanship! Alright then, are the racers ready?"

"Yeah!" Mario and Luigi agreed.

"Alright then! Remember, wait for the green light. Now, which button starts the countdown again?"

"The green one, Dragon." Mario said to me, "The green one!"

"OK!" I agreed as I pushed the green button which triggers the first red light. Then I said, "Alright then, the race begins when I say go. So, for the first time in this competition, I will now start the race! Ready…"

The crowd grew silent as the second red light went off…

"Set…"

Both brothers looked at each other as they await the green light.

I held my breath, raised my hand and then…

And then…

The light turned green…

"_**GO!**_"

With the word shouted, both brothers stepped on the gas pedals and then, the karts sped out of the starting line, leaving me covered in black smoke. I said to them, "Have fun, Mario Bros.!"


	3. Bowser's Big Race

**Bowser's Big Kart Race**

It's another great day at Mario Circuit where Bowser is training for the big go-kart race with his orange go-kart. He loves to compete against Mario & his friends and today, he is going to race for his friends and himself. The crowd cheered as the announcer is about to speak.

"Good afternoon everyone and welcome to today's championship race here at Mario Circuit where today, 8 racers from around the league will battle it out in the Mario Circuit 350. I'm your announcer Race T. and it's a beautiful day here and what a way to kick off this championship race by welcoming our viewers from around the world to today's broadcast and today's race features the one, the only, Bowser Koopa!" the announcer said as the crowd cheered, "That's right, race fans, the Koopa King is here for today's championship race and look at him folks, he is indeed Mario's arch-enemy in his adventures and today, he's racing for the trophy in the pole position. Can the Koopa King burn the competition?! Stay tuned and find out!"

As Race T. talks about the race, Bowser said, "There, my go-kart is finished and I'm ready to race. Now all I need is a racing suit. Kammy, a green and orange racing suit, please?"

"You got it, one racing suit, coming up!" Kammy replied as she waved her wand, which makes Bowser's suit appear. Then Bowser hopped in to his go-kart and said, "Showtime!"

"We're back and now, it's time to meet the racers for this championship race. Are you ready to meet them?" Race T. asked.

The crowd cheered as the announcer meets the racers. And then, it's Bowser's turn.

"And now, for our final racer of this championship race. He is known as the King of Koopas, his hobbies include fighting against Mario, breathing fire, and he is the father of the Koopalings. Ladies and gentlemen, here he comes, the King of Koopas himself, meet… BOWSER!!"

As Bowser drives his way to the cheering crowd, he did his trademark fire breath to the sky, writing his name in fire. When the smoke cleared, he made his way to the starting line.

"Well, this is it. The moment you've been waiting for. The racers are lined up and the stage is set. And now, for the thousands of people in attendance at Mario Circuit and for the millions watching around the world, racers… start your engines!!"

The racers started their engines as the crowd cheered. The announcer saw it and said, "Well folks, this is it. The final race is about to begin and I am so pumped for this race. And now, here to start this final race of the season is our referee, Lakitu!"

As Lakitu came in with the start signal, the crowd chanted his name across the stadium.

"Well folks, this is it. The final race. In just 3 laps, one of these 8 racers will go home a champion. Who's it going to be? Will the Koopa King burn the competition and hopefully become the season's grand champion? We're about to find out who the champion is… right now! Lakitu, start the race!"

Bowser looked at the road and the cheering crowd for a moment and said, "This is it, the final race. In just 3 seconds, I'll do a rocket start. Well, let's do it!"

The crowd grew silent as Lakitu starts the countdown, "3..."

Bowser held his breath.

"2..."

He placed his foot on the gas pedal…

"1..."

He slowly said the 2 words to start the race as Lakitu shines the green light, "Rocket…"

…

"_**GO!!**_"

"…**START!!!**"

With the word shouted, Bowser slams down on the gas pedal and the kart speeds out of the starting line. Race T. saw it and said, "And Bowser starts the race with a rocket start. Now that's hot!"

As the race goes on, the crowd cheered as Bowser is just meters away from the finish line. The announcer got excited.

"It looks like the Koopa King is about to cross the finish line as we approach the end of the race and the crowd is standing up to their feet as we are about to crown our champion. And here comes Bowser as he is 100 meters from the line. Who is the champion? It's going to be a photo finish and this race is finished! In just a few moments, we're about to crown our champion and Lakitu has the photo finish and it is sealed in this envelope. And now, for the final results. The winner of the Mario Circuit 350 and our new champion is…"

The crowd held their breath as the announcer opened the envelope. He held his breath and then, the winner is revealed.

"I hate to say it folks but I have never seen this amazing photo finish and it is a close one. Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the winner is…**BOWSER!!**"

As Race T. said his name, confetti fell as the Koopa King won the race. He said to the crowd, "I won the race, I did it, I rule!!"

And so, Bowser had a great race and felt like a great champion.


	4. Dragon Puncher's Big Championship Race

**Dragon Puncher's Mario Kart Championship Race**

It's a beautiful afternoon for a race as I get ready for the championship here at Mario Circuit with the crowd cheering. I said, "It's here! The final race of the season and so far, I'm in the lead. If I win today, then I'll be crowned the new Mario Kart Grand Champion! I can't wait for the green light to flash and this is the first time that I'll be competing in the finals. Well, let's do this! It's time for Dragon to claim that championship!"

Lakitu came in with the mic and said to the crowd "Good afternoon race fans and welcome to the grand finale of the season, the Mario Kart Grand Championship! This is Lakitu and do we have a great race for you on this fantastic day. Today is the grand finale of the season and what a better way to end this amazing tournament with this final race right here at Mario Circuit. This race right here will determine who will get the trophy and the title of Mario Kart Grand Champion. So far in the standings, our rookie Dragon Puncher is burning up the competition and is currently in the lead with 1,510 points. The big question is, can this rookie race to victory? We'll find out when we get back! Don't go away everyone because this is going to be a fast-paced race!"

As Lakitu kept on talking, I made some final adjustments on the Fire Breath. I put on some red paint on the kart and said, "It's done. The go-kart is all polished up and ready to race. The stage is set and I'm ready to hit the track. Well, let's do it!"

"And we are back with this race and now, it's time to meet today's twelve racers. Are you ready to meet them?" Lakitu asked.

"YES!" the crowd cheered.

"Then let's get started by meeting our first racer of the afternoon, shall we? First up, we have a great rookie who has burned up the competition and so far, he has 1,510 points overall in the standings. This racer has stormed through tough terrain and now, he is in the pole position. Ladies and gentlemen, from the Bronx, it's the warrior with the passion for racing! You know him, you love him! Making his first appearance in the finals is everyone's favorite racer. Driving on the Fire Breath, here's… _**DRAGON PUNCHER!**_"

I entered the racetrack with the cheering crowd as I took a bow. Then I said to the crowd, "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Lakitu came to me and said, "Well, well, well. Dragon Puncher, you made it to the finals for the first time. How does it feel to be here in the final race?"

"Amazing!" I replied, "This season had everything so far and today, there are no hazards for this race because I'm going all out in this one and the Fire Breath is ready to race!"

"Wow! He said that everything was smooth and now, he's ready for the grand finale! Well, I guess there's one more thing for you and that is to go to the pole position! You're racer number one, Dragon!"

"Alright! I'm off!" I said as I drive to the starting line.

When Lakitu was done introducing the racers, he said, "Well, now that we met our twelve racers, it's time to start this championship. Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to race?"

"_**YEAH!**_" the crowd cheered as Lakitu gets ready.

"Alright then! Racers... _**START YOUR ENGINES!**_"

"Let's do it! It's time to end the season with one final race!" I said as my engine turned on with the crowd cheering.

Lakitu said, "Well, it all comes down to this. This is the race that will decide it all and the stage is set! Are you ready?"

"Yeah." The crowd said.

"Whoa there! Just a moment, folks. It looks like I can't hear you loud enough. Let's do it once more, but a bit louder. Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for some Mario Kart racing?" Lakitu asked the crowd.

The crowd cheered very loudly as they said, "**_YEAH!_**"

"Now that's more like it! I love this amazing crowd on this fantastic day! Oh, this is going to be an exciting race to the finish, and my heart is beating fast with every moment in this competition leading up to this grand finale on this fantastic afternoon. And Dragon Puncher?"

"Yes, Lakitu?" I asked to him.

"I have a big favor for you before we begin this race. Do you want a special rocket start cheer from us?"

"I love a good cheer! After all, my go-kart needs a supercharge from the cheers of the crowd before the green light goes off so, let's do it!" I agreed.

"Alright then, let's give Dragon a rocket start super cheer! Here we go, everyone! Dragon Puncher, go, go, go! Dragon Puncher, go, go, go!" Lakitu said to the crowd, "Once more!"

The crowd agreed as they do the cheer, "Dragon Puncher, go, go, go! Dragon Puncher... **_GO, GO, GO!_**"

As the crowd cheered for me, I get a strong burst of energy! I smiled to them and said, "Thanks for the cheer, audience! Looks like I'm getting a rocket start super boost right about now! Well Lakitu, shall we begin?"

Lakitu looked at me and said with a big smile, "It will be my pleasure to do so! Now, before we go any further, I want to tell you that in this final race, there will be no Item Boxes. So, that means the only way to win this race is to use all of your driving skills. That is the key to winning the title of Grand Champion. So, for the last time this season, are the racers ready?"

"YEAH!" The racers agreed.

"Mario Circuit, are you ready?"

The crowd agreed as they cheer very loudly.

"And is Dragon Puncher ready to go?"

"_**YES!**_" I shouted with a smile, "I've been waiting all season long for this final race and once this is over, there will be one grand champion. Well, I guess there is one more thing left for me to do. Lakitu... **_START THE RACE!_**"

"Alright then! May we have complete silence, please?"

The crowd agreed as they grew very silent. Then Lakitu continued on and said, "Well, after all of the blood, sweat, and tears we have during this tournament, it all comes down to this. This is the race that will decide it all and in just three laps, one of these twelve racers will go home as a Grand Champion and along with that, the winner will receive the coveted gold Mario Kart Grand Championship trophy. But if Dragon wins, then he will be the first rookie ever in this tournament to claim the title. Can he do it? Today's race holds the answer to this big question! And now, the moment you've all been waiting for is finally here! Ladies and gentlemen, let the countdown... _**BEGIN!**_"

Then he took out his bath toys from his cloud and then... a duck squeaked. Lakitu looked at his toys and said with a thought, _"This toy duck does have a nice squeak to it but, that is the wrong item to start this final race. Let's try another one."_

He put the toys back and took out his calculator and then... a number appeared on the screen. He thought to himself and said, _"Almost! This calculator has the number five on the screen and it can do some math equations but, it can't start the race. Maybe the next item that I need to start the championship is in my cloud. Let's find it."_

Then he put the calculator away and took out his fishing pole with his start signal. Lakitu looked at it and said with a thought, _"Perfect! My trademark starting lights. The right item for this final race. Now I can start the countdown and I know one button that will do the job, the green one! Well, let's push the button and get this championship race started!"_

Using his thought, Lakitu pushed the green button on the start signal and then, the first red light came on. The countdown to the final race has officially begun…

"3..."

Not one crowd member spoke, the only sound I can hear is my motor. Then, the next red light went off…

"2..."

"_This is it! Here comes the final red light…_" I thought as the third and last red light came on…

"1..."

I gripped on the steering wheel, placed my foot on the gas pedal, and took a big deep breath.

Everything grew silent as I await the green light.

I looked at the road for a moment, thought to myself and said, "_This is it, the green light is about to go off, which starts the final race of the tournament. Alright, time to give this go-kart a super starting boost and take an early lead! Once I step on this gas pedal__, it will trigger the final rocket start of the season and I have to do it just right to make it work. Here goes, Fire Breath Super Maximum..._"

And then...

And then...

The signal turned green.

Lakitu raised his hand up, took a big deep breath, and threw it down as he said the important word…

"_**GO!**_"

"_**ROCKET ****START!**_" I shouted as I slammed down on the gas pedal very hard and then, the Fire Breath came out of the starting line in a flash, leaving a trail of fire on the track. The rocket start super boost has worked perfectly!

The crowd saw it all and cheered for my big starting boost!

Lakitu coughed up some smoke from my go-kart and said to the crowd, "And here we go ladies and gentlemen as the final race of the season begins with an amazing rocket start by Dragon Puncher! What a great rocket start and it's at maximum power thanks to the cheers of the crowd! I love this fantastic starting boost! Dragon Puncher, have fun out there and give it your all! We're all rooting for you!"

"Will do, Lakitu! Now let's start the first lap, Dragon Puncher style!" I replied to him as I made the first turn and with that, the final race has begun!

As the race really heats up, I stormed to the third and final lap.

Lakitu said to the crowd, "This is it, ladies and gentlemen! The final lap of the season as Dragon Puncher and Goomba battle head to head for the trophy. It's going to be very close folks as both racers are just two turns away from the final stretch! Who will cross the finish line and claim the title of Grand Champion? Only time will tell! Oh, this is going to be very exciting and I can't wait for the photo finish!"

"This is it, the final stretch of the race before the finish line! Time to go even faster and raise my speed! Fire Breath... **_SUPER BOOST!_**" I shouted as I pressed down on the gas pedal very hard, giving the Fire Breath more speed. The road to the finish line has begun.

The crowd starts to cheer as Lakitu said, "Here we are at the final stretch as Dragon Puncher and Goomba are just 250 meters away from the championship. This is it, someone is going to claim the title of Grand Champion as they are neck and neck! Oh, here comes Dragon Puncher as he passed Goomba in the final stretch and now, he's in the lead with only 150 meters to go until the finish line! Can he make it across and become the first rookie to win the title? We are about to find out in just a few seconds!"

As I get closer to the finish line, I said to myself, "This is it, only 100 meters to go until the finish line! I'm almost there and the crowd is cheering for me! It looks like I'm going to use the signature boost for the last time. Once I use this boost, it will take me directly to the finish line and I will be the first rookie in this competition to win the title of Grand Champion. Well, here goes everything. Signature Boost! Fire Breath Finish Line Final..."

I held my breath, stepped on the gas pedal, and shouted the word...

"_**BOOST!**_"

With the word shouted, the Fire Breath sped its way to the finish line with everything I've got. The crowd cheered louder as I get closer to the checkered flag.

I smiled to myself and said, "Yes! It's working! The Finish Line Final Boost gave me more speed as I step down on the gas pedal and now, I'm going for the win! This super boost works like a charm! Well, let's end this race and claim that title! Next stop... **_THE FINISH LINE!_**"

Lakitu looked at the final boost and said, "Wow, this is amazing, folks! Dragon Puncher is using the Finish Line Final Boost, the Fire Breath's signature boost! This could be it, ladies and gentlemen! The Grand Champion is about to be decided with only fifty meters to go until the checkered flag! The crowd is cheering very loudly here at this circuit as we get much closer to announcing the winner! Is this final race officially over and do we have a grand champion? We'll find out right now because here comes the racers at the finish line!"

I closed my eyes and thought to myself, "_Come on Dragon, just a little bit further until the finish line! Everything that I've done so far leads me up to this big moment! If I cross it, then Lakitu will wave the checkered flag and I will be the first rookie ever in the tournament to be crowned the new Grand Champion! There it is, the finish line and there's Lakitu with the checkered flag, ready to wave at any moment with only twenty meters to go! Alright, on the count of three, I'll shout finish and the race will be over! Well, here goes everything! 1, 2, 3..._"

And then...

And then...

I saw the checkered line that will end the race with Lakitu holding the checkered flag, ready to wave at any moment.

I took one final deep breath, stepped on the gas pedal one last time and shouted the word...

"**_FINISH!_**"

With the word shouted, Lakitu waved the checkered flag as I crossed the finish line with all of my remaining strength, which ends this amazing race.

Lakitu came in with the envelope and said, "Ladies and gentlemen! It has been an amazing season here at the Mario Kart Grand Prix but, only one can win this race. This gold envelope that I have right here in my hands holds the name of the winner and that person will become our very first Mario Kart Grand Champion. Now before I read the name of our winner, I want to say congratulations to everyone who competed in this competition. You've deserved it!"

The crowd cheered for us as we waved to them. Then Lakitu said, "You've done a great job this season and we congratulate you for your performance but, only one can take home the title. So, who will be crowned as our first Mario Kart Grand Champion? We're about to find out who it is... right now! Drum roll, please!"

With the words shouted, the drum roll began. Lakitu looked at the envelope and said, "Ladies and gentlemen! This is the moment we've all been waiting for! After three laps of racing, it all comes down to this final announcement. The winner of the first annual Mario Kart Grand Prix tournament is..."

I held my breath and waited for the announcement as the drum roll grew louder and louder.

The crowd grew very silent as they await the final announcement.

I thought to myself and said, _"This is it, Dragon Puncher! In just a few seconds, the drum roll will end and then, Lakitu will announce the name of the winner. Everything that I've done so far in this tournament leads me up to this big announcement. I better hold on tight because here it is!"_

And then, the drum roll has finished, signaling the official announcement.

Lakitu opened up the envelope, looked at it very closely, and then...

The announcement has finally been made...

"Wow! This is unbelievable, folks! For the first time ever in this competition, we have a rookie! So, that means we have found our very first Grand Champion! Ladies and gentlemen, I'm very pleased to announce that the winner of this tournament is... _**DRAGON PUNCHER!**_"

As Lakitu heard my name, I smiled to myself and jumped for joy as the crowd erupted in big cheers!

The official announcement has made me the new Grand Champion as I did my victory lap all across the track. Then, I ran to Lakitu after my victory lap and I gave him a very big hug and while I was doing that, fireworks begin to go off all across the track as the crowd chanted my name for my first championship victory, "**_DRAGON, DRAGON, DRAGON!_**"

When I was finished with the hug, Lakitu smiled and clapped for me as I punched my fists in the air for my victory as the fireworks keeps going off with the crowd cheering for me very loudly. Then he said, "You did it, Dragon Puncher! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Lakitu!" I said with a smile.

Lakitu came to me and said, "You are the first rookie ever in this tournament to win this race and with that, the official title of Mario Kart Grand Champion is now yours! So, how do you feel?"

"It felt so good! I can't believe that after all of these races, it led me up to this! I love this tournament!" I said as the crowd cheered, "I can't believe that the Finish Line Final Boost is all I need to win this race and now, here I am as the first big winner!"

Lakitu smiled and said, "Well, we are so glad to have you as our first Grand Champion of this tournament and because of your amazing boosts you did along the way during the race, I think we are about to show them both in this instant replay! Shall we take a look at those two boosts once again from our Mario Circuit Jumbotron before we give you this trophy at the Winner's Circle?"

"We shall do that, Lakitu! After all, I love an instant replay for this final race so, let's do it!" I replied with a smile.

Lakitu agreed with me and said, "Alright then, here it comes! Jumbotron, show us the Super Maximum Rocket Start Boost and the Finish Line Final Boost once again for our Grand Champion! **_INSTANT REPLAY!_**"

The Jumbotron agreed as the instant replay appeared on the screen. The screen shows me standing at the starting line, waiting for the green light to go off. Lakitu looked at the screen and said, "When the green light flashed, you slammed on the gas pedal as the kart got out of the starting line with a Super Maximum Rocket Start. Very impressive! Now, let's take a look at your Finish Line Final Boost in the final lap!"

The screen then changes to the final lap as I sped my way to the finish line. Lakitu said, "As you make your final boost at the final lap of the race, you sped all the way to the finish line with 100 meters to go and then, you crossed the line with everything you got and then, you jumped for joy! What a finish to this race as I crown you as the winner."

The crowd cheered for me even louder as they saw my big win on the Jumbotron. Then Lakitu smiled to me and said, "So, you did it! You won the race and the title of Mario Kart Grand Champion. You are the first rookie ever in this tournament to win the title and we congratulate you for your victory. Now, are you ready to claim your trophy at the Award Ceremony?"

"_**YEAH!**_" I agreed with a big smile, "I was looking forward to that all day long! This is my favorite part about this tournament and I can't believe that I'm going to claim it for the first time in a championship race and after all, I am the Grand Champion! Well, let's claim that trophy, Lakitu!"

Lakitu agreed with me and said, "Alright then! Dragon Puncher, step on up to the Winner's Circle and let's start the Award Ceremony!"

So I went to the Winner's Circle to start the Award Ceremony as the crowd cheered for me. Lakitu came in with the trophy and said, "Ladies and gentlemen! It has been a fantastic season here at the Mario Kart Grand Prix and today, we have finally crowned our first big winner! And now, it gives me great pleasure to present this golden Mario Kart Grand Championship trophy to our first Grand Champion... _**DRAGON PUNCHER!**_"

As Lakitu heard my name, I stepped on up to the podium to claim my trophy as the crowd cheered for me. Then Lakitu gave the trophy to me and said with a hug, "Congratulations, Dragon Puncher! The trophy is yours!"

"Thank you!" I replied with a big smile as I accepted the trophy from him, "It's an honor for me to accept this trophy for winning this final race and I want to say that I'm so glad to be crowned as the big winner! It has been a long journey for me since I first competed as a rookie and I can't believe that after all of these races throughout the entire tournament, it led me up to today's big victory thanks to the Finish Line Final Boost! I would like to thank all of my fans for supporting me throughout my run, the entire Mario Kart staff for organizing this fantastic tournament, and of course, I would like to thank Lakitu for announcing this final race and for giving me this amazing trophy! Now, before I end my speech, I have a surprise for everyone. I am coming back next season as the defending champion!"

The crowd cheered for me when they heard my surprise. I smiled to them and said, "That's right, everyone. Starting next season, I'll be defending my title with all new races, and all new techniques! That is my surprise for all of you! And with that, I'll finish this acceptance speech with my victory call for winning this final race. Blazing to the finish line, the fire speeds within me! Dragon Puncher has claimed... _**VICTORY!**_"

As I finished my victory call, I held the trophy up high and while I was doing that, confetti fell on me as the crowd cheered for my big victory and my special surprise.

Lakitu came to me and raised my right hand as he said to the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, here's your new Mario Kart Grand Champion once again. The Fire Breath Punisher... _**DRAGON** **PUNCHER!**_"

Then the crowd cheered and chanted my name as more fireworks went off. I smiled to everyone and said to them, "Thank you, everyone! You're too kind!"

Then I winked to them and said, "Well, I guess this season ends with a... _**FAST FINISH!**_"


	5. Yoshi's Big Race

**Yoshi's Championship Race**

It's another great day at Mario Circuit where the final race of the Mario Kart season is about to take place. The racetrack is filled with cheering fans, screaming for the racers during the race and in the booth is an announcer.

"Good afternoon, race fans! It's the moment you've been waiting for and it's here today at Mario Circuit. The Mario Kart Championship race is about to begin and I can't wait for someone to win that trophy." the announcer said, "That's right, folks. One final race will decide who will be crowned the grand champion of the season. The big question is this: who will claim it at the finish line?"

As the announcer kept on talking, Yoshi was polishing up his go-kart at the starting line, waiting for the final race to begin. He's the number 1 racer in the race and he likes it. Yoshi smiled to himself and said, "I can't believe that this is it. The championship race has arrived and I trained all season for this big moment and after I cross the finish line, I'll be crowned the grand champion. Let's go racing!"

"And now, it's the moment everyone's been waiting for all season. It's time to meet these eight racers!" the announcer said as the crowd cheered, "In position 1, he's known as the Egg Racer. He blazed through every course throughout the whole season and today, he'll be racing at this track to make his dream come true as the grand champion. Ladies and gentlemen, driving in lane 1 is our current leader of the season. The one and only… YOSHI!"

The crowd cheered for Yoshi as he makes his way to the racetrack with his trademark green and white go-kart. He took a bow as the crowd held up signs that said, "Go Yoshi, Go!" on one side and on the other side is a full body picture of himself. Yoshi smiled to the crowd as he picked up the microphone and said, "Hello, everyone. I'm honored to be the first racer in today's race and I'm so glad to have everyone who supported me throughout the season to see me race in this track known as Mario Circuit!"

The crowd cheered for him as the dinosaur continues to speak, "This track is the final race of the season and if I win today, I'll be very happy to go home with the trophy and I'm going to dedicate this championship race to my best friend Mario for creating this amazing track. So, let's go racing!"

The announcer heard Yoshi's speech and said, "Wow, Yoshi is dedicating this final race to Mario for creating this course and we love him so much. Now, let's find out who will be in position number 2."

When the announcer was finished introducing these eight racers, he said, "Well folks, this is it! The final race is just moments away and I can't wait for the green light to flash on these eight racers. So, without further ado, racers… to your go-karts!"

Yoshi hopped in to his green and white go-kart and started his engines. The crowd cheered very loudly as the final race is about to begin. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the crowd is cheering on this fantastic day like this.

"And now, here to start this final race of the season is our referee of the tournament. You know him, you love him. Here he comes. The one and only Lakitu!" the announcer said as Lakitu came in with his start signal.

This was it. The countdown to the final race is about to begin. The crowd grew very silent as Lakitu said these words, "Racers, are you ready?"

The racers agreed with him as Lakitu pushed the all-important green button that will start up his lights and the final race of the season.

And then, the first red light went off. The countdown to the championship race has officially begun…

"3..."

Not one crowd member spoke. The only sound that Yoshi hears was his motor. Then, the next light went off…

"2..."

The stage is set, the crowd grew silent, and the final red light appeared on the signal…

"1..."

Everything grew silent as Yoshi took one last deep breath before the green light goes off. He gripped his steering wheel very tightly, placed his foot on the gas pedal, and said the famous head start phrase, "Rocket…"

And then…

And then…

The start signal turned green…

"_**GO!**_"

Yoshi slammed down on the gas pedal and finished the head start phrase, "_**START!**_"

And then, Yoshi took off and left Lakitu in a cloud of dust. The championship race has officially begun.

Yoshi sped his way to the first turn as lap one began. He did an amazing job getting these items as the crowd cheered. The announcer said, "And what a way to kick off the championship race as Yoshi makes his way to the first set of Item Boxes thanks to the rocket start he had earlier. Look at him go, folks! He's known as the Green Lightning!"

As the race heats up, Yoshi breezed through the first two laps. Now the only thing remains is the final lap and the trophy. The announcer saw Yoshi's performance and said, "Look at that, folks. Yoshi is just one lap away from the trophy and so far, he has a big lead. If Yoshi crosses the finish line at the end of this lap, then he wins the trophy. Can he make it? Only these next few seconds will tell."

Yoshi was so close to the trophy. Only 200 meters remaining until the finish line as the crowd starts to cheer. Yoshi smiled and said, "There it is! The finish line is straight ahead. Just 200 meters to go and I win! I'm going to make it, I'm going to make it!"

"This is it! Yoshi is just 100 meters away from the finish line! It looks like we're going to have a brand new champion as we await the first racer to cross the finish line and in just a few moments, we'll have our grand champion! And… HE MADE IT! Yoshi has won the championship trophy! What a way to end the race and the season with the dinosaur as the winner! AMAZING!"

Yoshi saw Lakitu waving the checkered flag as he crossed the finish line. Lakitu smiled and said, "**_FINISH!_** Yoshi is our winner!"

The crowd cheered very loudly as Yoshi did his first victory lap as the grand champion. Yoshi came out of his kart after his victory lap and said to the crowd, "I did it! I crossed the finish line! I'm the champion! YOSHI!"

Then, Lakitu came in with the trophy and said, "Congratulations, Yoshi! You have won the final race of the season and now, it gives me great pleasure to present to you with this gold championship trophy! You deserve it, buddy!"

"Thank you, Lakitu!" Yoshi replied as he accepts the trophy with confetti falling on him, "I am so happy to be crowned the new champion and it makes me very happy!"

And so, Yoshi held up the trophy very high as the crowd cheered!


	6. Dragon Puncher vs Mario

**Mario Kart Wii: Dragon Puncher vs. Mario**

It is a beautiful afternoon for a race at Mario Circuit as the crowd cheered for this special day. Today is the day that I'll be competing against Mario in an exhibition race. I looked at the view of the track and said, "Wow, I can't believe that I'm competing against Mario! This is going to be a great race as Mario and I are going to face each other for the first time. Oh, I can't wait!"

Just then, Lakitu came in and said to the crowd, "Good afternoon race fans! Welcome to today's exhibition race between Mario and Dragon Puncher, coming to you live from Mario Circuit! This is your referee Lakitu and today's match is going to be a good one as the veteran driver Mario is going one-on-one against the rising star Dragon Puncher! Which racer will speed their way to victory? You'll find out as we get ready for the race. Don't miss it!"

When I put the finishing touches on the Fire Breath, I said, "There, my go-kart is finished! Now, let's see what this little baby can do when I enter the track."

Then, Mario came to me with his red go-kart and said, "Hey Dragon, are you ready for a great race?"

"Of course!" I replied, "This is going to be a fun one. Just you and me in an exhibition race. Remember, we want to have a fair one so, let's have fun, alright?"

"Agreed." Mario said as Lakitu came to us.

Then Lakitu said, "Well, we are back and ready to go as Dragon Puncher and Mario are ready to race in an exhibition match! Let's meet today's racers! First, to my left is a great competitor who is speeding the track in a trail of fire. Driving on the Fire Breath is our rising star, Dragon Puncher!"

The crowd cheered for me as I took a bow. I smiled to the crowd and gave a kiss to the cheering fans.

"And to my right is the star of every game and everyone's favorite plumber. Racing on the Standard MR is the veteran, Mario!" Lakitu announced as Mario did his trademark pose.

The crowd cheered for Mario as I came to him. I said, "Well, are you ready for a good race?"

"Let's go, Dragon." Mario replied as he shook my hand for a fair race.

Then Lakitu said, "Wow, Mario and Dragon are shaking hands because this race is going to be fair and square! I like it! Now that's good sportsmanship here at Mario Kart! Well, I guess there's only one more thing left for you to do and that is to get in your go-kart and start your engines!"

I entered my go-kart and started my engines. Mario also entered his kart and started his engines. Lakitu came in with the start signal and said, "Well, it looks like these two racers are going head-to-head in this exhibition race. Who will claim victory in this battle of the karts? We're going to find out… right now! Mario, are you ready?"

"Yes!" Mario replied.

"Dragon, are you ready?"

"Of course I'm ready to go, Lakitu," I replied, "This is going to be a great match. Well, let's begin this exhibition race Lakitu because I'm all set and ready to drive!"

"Very well, then. Remember, this is an exhibition race which means that there are no items for this one and you'll drive the course twice so, the first player who crosses the finish line after two laps, wins the exhibition. Mario and Dragon Puncher, good luck to the both of you. Well, those are the rules of this exhibition race and now, it's time to start the race! Remember, you have two laps. Ready?"

"All set!" We shouted at the same time!

"Well, these two racers are lined up and ready to go as we are all set to begin this race. The question is who will get out of the starting line first? Will it be Dragon Puncher on the Fire Breath, or Mario on the Standard MR? We're about to find out because the countdown starts… _**NOW!**_" Lakitu shouted as he pressed the green button on the signal.

The crowd grew silent as the first red light came on…

"3..."

I revved up my engine…

"2..."

Mario held his breath…

"1..."

I placed my foot on the gas pedal, gripped the steering wheel tight, and took a big deep breath. Mario held on to the wheel and then…

And then…

The signal's light changed to green.

Lakitu held his breath and shouted the word that will start the race…

"_**GO!**_"

"_**ROCKET START!**_" We both shouted as we stepped down on our gas pedals and then, the karts came out of the starting line, leaving a trail of black smoke as Lakitu is covered in it. He coughed it out and said, "And here we go as both racers begin this exhibition race with a rocket start! This is going to be a good race!"

The race was fast and furious as we drove all across the course for a lap.

When we got to the second and final lap, Lakitu said, "Oh, this is it folks! Dragon and Mario are neck and neck as both racers are just about to reach the finish line. Who will cross it first? Only these next few seconds will tell!"

"Well, this race is about to end and the finish line is 250 meters away. Let's end this, Dragon!" Mario said to me.

"You got it!" I replied as we get closer to the line.

The crowd started to cheer as we entered the final 200 meters of the race.

Lakitu smiled to the crowd and said, "This is it, folks! The winner of the exhibition race is about to be revealed! It looks like both Dragon and Mario are giving everything they got and the crowd is standing up to their feet! Only 50 meters separate these two racers from the line and I have the checkered flag right here! Here comes the racers and it's a..."

When we got to the finish line, the camera flashed as we cross it.

Lakitu waved the checkered flag and said, "**_PHOTO_** _**FINISH!**_ What an intensive race it was and both racers have crossed it. Wow! This is a very close race for these competitors and I like it! Now, the big question that everyone was asking for in this entire race is this: Who crossed the finish line first, Dragon Puncher or Mario? Well, to answer this question, let's go to the Jumbotron and find out who won this amazing exhibition race! Jumbotron, show us the instant replay of this photo finish! We want to see it again!"

The Jumbotron shows a replay of the photo finish and it shows that we have crossed it at the same time. Lakitu saw it all and said, "Wow, I can't believe it, folks! The replay shows that both karts have crossed the finish line at the same time! Now that is what I call a fantastic finish to this exhibition race. Amazing! So, are you ready to hear the official results?"

"YEAH!" the crowd replied.

"Then here we go! Drum roll please!"

The drums begin to roll as the crowd grew silent. Lakitu smiled and said the official results, "Ladies and gentlemen, after reviewing the replay, I can now reveal that the winner of this exhibition race, or should I say winners are…"

The crowd held their breath as the screen shows the final results and then…

And then…

The decision was final…

"_**DRAGON PUNCHER AND MARIO! IT'S A TIE!**_"

I jumped for joy as Lakitu announced the final results! Mario saw it and hugged me for a tie race. The crowd cheered for us as we waved to the crowd. I gave a high five to the crowd while Mario did his victory pose. Then Mario shook my hand and said, "Great race, Dragon! Your speed is amazing!"

"You too, Mario." I replied as I shook Mario's hand, "That was a pretty impressive finish you did at the end."

"Thanks!"

Just then, Lakitu came to us and said, "Congratulations Dragon Puncher and Mario! You have ended this exhibition race in a tie and the replay shows that both the Standard MR and the Fire Breath crossed the finish line at the same time! I've never seen this photo finish in this exhibition match and today, it's a tie. So, you both have won the exhibition race because of the tie! How does it feel, Dragon?"

"Awesome!" I replied, "I had a blast facing off against the veteran driver and I can't believe that I got my very first tie in a Mario Kart race! I'm so glad to have a great competitor in this race like Mario and with this tie I got today, I did it for my fans!"

"Of course you did and I love it! Great job, Dragon. Mario, same question." Lakitu said.

Mario smiled and replied, "It was fun and I love Dragon. He's a great racer and a competitive warrior. We love exhibition races and today, this one ends in a tie so, we had fun, even if this race ends in a tie."

"Wow, you and Dragon do make a great team and I'm so glad that this one ends in a tie! Well, great race you two and congrats on tying this race. Ladies and gentlemen, here are your winners for this exhibition race, Dragon Puncher and Mario!" Lakitu announced.

The crowd cheered for us as Mario took out two Power Stars. He handed me one and asked, "Victory cry, buddy?"

"You got it!" I replied as I get a Power Star.

And so, with that tie, we jumped for joy and said our victory cry as we did our trademark victory pose…

"_**HERE WE GO!**_"


	7. Dragon Puncher's Returning Race

**Dragon Puncher's Return As A Mario Kart Grand Champion**

It is a beautiful afternoon for a race at Luigi Circuit as I was polishing up my go-kart for my return as the Grand Champion. I smiled to myself and said, "I can't believe that I'm back and ready for some more Mario Kart racing. This is my first race in the major-leagues and I'm so glad to be back. Well, let's finish this kart!"

"Good afternoon racing fans! Welcome to Luigi Circuit and the all new Mario Kart Grand Prix!" Lakitu announced as the crowd cheered, "This is Lakitu and it is an honor to be back here once again for a brand new season. Today's races takes us to Luigi Circuit where we are about to start the new season off with the return of our Grand Champion! Get ready to race because we are about to welcome him back! Don't miss it!"

While Lakitu was speaking, I put on the finishing touches on the Fire Breath and said, "All done! Now, that is one cool kart. Well, time for the return of the Grand Champion!"

"And welcome back everyone! Well, are you ready to meet our returning champion?" Lakitu asked to the crowd.

"_**YEAH!**_" The crowd agreed as they cheered.

"Then let's meet our returning champion! Our first racer is everyone's favorite racer. He has been a rookie since he first started the Grand Prix and with the Finish Line Final Boost he did at the final race in Mario Circuit last season, he has transformed to our Grand Champion thanks to his victory. Ladies and gentlemen, driving on the Fire Breath, please put your hands together for our returning champion, the racer burning with passion… _**DRAGON PUNCHER!**_"

As Lakitu announced my name, I entered the track with the crowd cheering. I smiled to myself as I kept on driving with the crowd chanting my name, "_**DRAGON, DRAGON, DRAGON!**_"

When I got to the starting line, I took out the championship trophy from last season and I held it up high with the crowd making the biggest cheer. Then I put it down and I said, "The Grand Champion… _**IS BACK!**_"

Lakitu came to me and said with a hug, "Welcome back, Dragon Puncher!"

"Pleasure to be back once again, Lakitu!" I replied with a smile.

"So, how are you feeling about your return?" Lakitu asked me.

"Amazing! When I first competed in my very first race, I was doing a great job and when I came to the final race at Mario Circuit, it was a big challenge for me but thanks to the Finish Line Final Boost, I made it across the finish line and then, I became the first rookie as the Grand Champion! Now, I'm back and ready to defend my title!" I replied as the crowd cheered.

Lakitu smiled to me and said, "Well, now that you are here once again, are you ready for your first one-on-one race of the Grand Prix?"

"I was looking forward to that! Who is my first opponent for this one-on-one opening race?" I asked.

"You will be racing against Luigi!" Lakitu announced as Luigi drives in with his Standard Kart.

Luigi smiled to me and said, "Welcome to the race, Dragon!"

"Thanks, Luigi!" I replied, "It is an honor for me to race against you one-on-one. Are you up for it?"

"Let's go!" Luigi agreed as Lakitu came in with his starting lights.

"Alright you two, here are the rules of the opening race. You will drive around this course three times. That is three laps for the both of you. There are no items in this opening race so, do you best. Whoever crosses the finish line first after all three laps, wins the first race, and the first ten points!" Lakitu announced, "The loser will only get 5 for finishing in second. After all of the races are played, the eight racers with the highest scores will advance to Mario Circuit for the Championship Race and the trophy! So, are you ready?"

"All set!" We agreed.

"Alright then! Dragon and Luigi… _**START YOUR ENGINES!**_" Lakitu shouted as we turned on our engines.

The crowd cheered as I get ready for my first race as the defending champion.

Lakitu flew up with the lights and said, "Alright then, you two. The moment the starting light turns green, you may begin the race! Now Dragon, since you're the returning champion, you know what to do for me if the race is about to start. Go ahead, Grand Champion!"

"With pleasure!" I replied with a smile, "Lakitu… _**PUSH THE GREEN BUTTON!**_"

"You got it! One countdown for the opening race, coming up… _**NOW!**_" Lakitu agreed as he pushed the green button.

Then, the first red light came on…

"Ready…"

I held on to the steering wheel as the second red light appeared…

"Set…"

Luigi took a big deep breath as we await the green light.

I thought to myself and said, "_Alright, time for my favorite starting boost from the championship, the Fire Breath Super Maximum Rocket Start! Well, let's try it! Fire Breath Super Maximum…_"

And then, Lakitu said the word to start the race as the green light went off…

"_**GO!**_"

"_**ROCKET START!**_" I shouted as my kart got out of the line with the crowd cheering!

And so begins my first race as the Grand Champion.


	8. Yoshi's Rocket Start

**Yoshi's Rocket Start**

It's a beautiful day in Mario Circuit as Yoshi is preparing for today's race. The go-kart's name by the way is the Standard Kart M. The crowd is cheering as the racers reach the starting line and Yoshi is pumped to compete in the race. Mario Circuit has a lot of cheering fans from around the circuit and there's even an announcer!

"Good afternoon race fans and welcome to Mario Circuit, home of the Mario Kart Grand Championship!" the announcer said, "Today's race features the best racers from around the league and why is today a special day? Because today, Yoshi is going to use the rocket start for the first time and if you're watching this race, you'll be lucky to see Yoshi's amazing performance right here. This is the first time you'll be seeing the newest technique performed by Yoshi live! But before we do that, let's have a interview with Yoshi on his preview for the rocket start. So Yoshi, this is it, in just about 4 minutes, the race is about to start and this is everyone's main question. Why are you so happy with the rocket start?" Yoshi smiled.

"Because today, I'm going to perform it for the first time and this go-kart is ready to roll."

"I see. Any plans on winning the race?"

"Yes, I'm going to win for the crowd and the viewers watching this race. So if you're watching this race, get ready to see my rocket start."

"Well, thank you for your time Yoshi and good luck in today's race and will you show us your rocket start when the race begins?"

"Yes, I will!" Yoshi said.

"So stay tuned race fans because in just 3 minutes, you'll be the first to see Yoshi's amazing rocket start!"

"Today is the day I get to use the rocket start on my go-kart." Yoshi said, "If I hold the gas and step on it when Lakitu says 'GO!', then I hit it and I do a rocket start!"

"This is it, race fans!" the announcer said, "In just 2 minutes, the race is about to begin so if you got time to prepare, now's your chance!"

"Two minutes?" Yoshi said, "That gives me plenty of time to finish my go-kart and start the engine with 10 seconds to spare. Let's go make some final adjustments."

Yoshi is making some final adjustments on his kart as the timer now shows 90 seconds.

"Let's see here." Yoshi said, "I need to make a few adjustments here, there, over here and there." He continued on with his adjustments as he is humming to the Mario Kart Wii theme and the clock keeps going as Yoshi is making some big adjustments!

"One minute left!", the announcer said, "Hurry up and finish preparing for the race because in less than one minute, the race officially begins!"

"Looks like I'm just about ready to go and use my rocket start." he replied, "I better make some final adjustments right there and… done!"

"30 seconds to go, racers!" the announcer said, "30 seconds and counting!"

"Well, this is it!" Yoshi said, "I hope this technique works perfectly."

"20 more seconds!" the announcer said, "Just a few more seconds and then it's race time!"

Just then, Lakitu came in with the start signal and told the racers to get ready and everyone did!

"Time to use it because in 15 seconds, it will activate!" Yoshi said as he gets ready, "Well, here we go!"

"Well race fans, this is it! The moment you've been waiting for has arrived!" the announcer said, "For the first time ever on this racetrack, you're about to see the premiere of Yoshi's amazing rocket start technique right here, right now! Are you ready?"

The crowd reacted and replied, "YES!"

"All right!" the announcer continued, "Then racers, start your engines!!"

Yoshi held on to the steering wheel tight as he turned on his engine.

"This is it, everyone!" the announcer said, "Yoshi, are you ready for your premiere of the rocket start technique like we promised you earlier?"

"Yes!" Yoshi replied, "And now for your viewing pleasure, it's time for my rocket start technique right here, right now!"

The crowd cheered as Yoshi takes his position.

"Okay race fans, the race begins in 5... 4..."

He placed his foot on the gas pedal…

"3… 2… 1…"

He waited for the green light and the rocket start to activate for the first time. Everyone grew silent as they watched and waited for Yoshi's big moment. He took a big deep breath and slowly said the first 2 words, "Rocket...

...

"_**GO!!**_"

**START!!**"

Yoshi slammed on the gas and flew out of the starting line in a cloud of dust! The rocket start worked perfectly and everyone loved it!

"It worked!" Yoshi cheered, "The rocket start worked, I got it! I did it!"

"Wow, can't you believe it, race fans?" the announcer said, "The rocket start by Yoshi gave him a head start and the early lead and the crowd loved it!"

The crowd chanted his name all across the circuit: "Yoshi! Yoshi! Yoshi!"

"Now to the finish line!" Yoshi said as the crowd cheered.


	9. Dragon Puncher's Championship Race 2

**Dragon Puncher's Second Mario Kart Championship Race**

It's a beautiful day at Mario Circuit as I was about to go for my second Championship race. I smiled to myself and said, "Wow! I made it to the finals once again! This is going to be a great race to the finish! Well, let's do it!"

"Good afternoon race fans! Welcome to the Mario Kart Grand Prix Final Race!" Lakitu announced as the crowd cheered, "Thank you for joining us on this fantastic day at Mario Circuit because today's race will decide who will win the Grand Prix with one final duel! Which one of these two racers will drive to victory? Stick around and find out!"

When I was finished with my kart, I said, "It is done! The Fire Breath is ready for one final race! Well, time to hit the starting line!"

Lakitu came in and said, "Well, we are back and ready to go as we are about to meet our final two racers that will go head to head in this final race. So, are you ready to meet them?"

"_**YEAH!**_" the crowd agreed as they cheer.

"Then let's meet our challenger! Our challenger is one of the Mushroom Kingdom's favorite racers. He is driving on the Red Fire since he first started the competition. Here he is, the racing star in red… _**MARIO!**_"

Then Mario came in to the track as the crowd cheered. He smiled to the crowd and gave them a thumbs up on the Red Fire.

Lakitu came to the starting line with Mario and said, "Mario, you made it to today's final race. So, what is in store for our defending champion?"

"Well, Dragon did a great job racing in this competition." Mario replied to him, "He's been driving to the finish line and scored an impressive win with each race he did. Now he is ready for one final race and I can't wait!"

"Very good , indeed! Now, are you ready to welcome our defending champion?" Lakitu asked to the crowd.

"_**YEAH!**_" The crowd agreed.

"Then let's welcome our defending champion! You know him as the Fire Breath Punisher in these races and now, he is ready to defend that Championship Trophy. Ladies and gentlemen, riding on the Fire Breath is the defending champion. Please welcome to the track… _**DRAGON PUNCHER!**_"

Then I came to the track with the crowd cheering. I smiled to myself and waved to the crowd as I get closer to the starting line. When I got there, Lakitu said, "Well, here you are once again in the final race, Dragon! So, what brings you here to this finale?"

"I came here to defend my title and I was looking forward to my second championship race." I replied with a smile, "It has been a great run here but, now I'm ready to race again for the trophy!"

"That is what I like to hear. Well, are you ready to race?" Lakitu asked me.

"Of course!" I agreed.

"Alright then! The rules of this final race is simple. There are no items on the track and this is going to be a three-lap race to the finish. Cross the finish line first after all three laps, and you are the winner. Now, if Mario wins, then he'll become our brand new champion but, if Dragon wins, then he will claim his second Championship title. So, are you ready?" Lakitu asked us.

"All set!" we said at the same time.

"Very well, then! Mario and Dragon Puncher… _**START YOUR ENGINES!**_"

We turned on our engines as the crowd cheered. Lakitu flew up to the starting line with his lights and said, "Well racers, this is it. One of you will claim this trophy and it all comes down to this final race. I wish you both the best of luck out there and have a great race. Remember, this race will decide it all. So, I do believe that we are ready for the final race. Now Dragon, you know what to do if the race is about to start."

"Allow me!" I agreed with a smile, "Lakitu… _**PUSH THE GREEN BUTTON!**_"

"You got it! One countdown to the final race of the tournament, coming up… _**NOW!**_" Lakitu agreed as he pressed the green button.

And then, the first red light came on…

"Ready…"

The crowd grew silent as the second red light appeared…

"Set…"

I smiled to myself and thought, "_Time to raise my speed and boost out of the starting line! Fire Breath Super Maximum…_"

And then, the green light went off as Lakitu said the word…

"_**GO!**_"

"_**ROCKET START!**_" I announced as I pressed down on the gas pedal. The final race has begun as I sped out of the starting line with Mario just behind.

"And away we go as both racers begin the final race with a rocket start." Lakitu said to the crowd, "This is going to be a great race!"

As the race heats up, we both entered the final lap. Lakitu is so excited as he said, "Wow! This is it! The final lap will decide who will be the champion! The big question is, who will it be? We'll find out very soon!"

As we enter the final stretch, I said, "Time to close this race with the Fire Breath Finish Line Final Boost! Here I… _**GO!**_"

With the word shouted, the Fire Breath Finish Line Final Boost is activated and I sped my way to the finish line! The crowd cheered as I did my boost.

Lakitu looked at it and said, "Wow, this is very exciting, folks! Dragon Puncher is using his Finish Line Final Boost! Is it enough to reach the finish line for the win?"

And then, I made it across the finish line with everything I got. I have done it again!

Lakitu waved the checkered flag and said, "_**HE DID IT!**_ Dragon Puncher has done it again! He is still the Mario Kart Grand Champion and the crowd loved his second championship win. _**AMAZING!**_"

Then I came out of the kart and I said, "Alright! Another win for Dragon and I have claimed… _**VICTORY!**_"

Lakitu came in with the trophy and he said, "You did it again, Dragon! Congratulations on your second championship title! Here is your trophy for winning this race and the tournament! You deserved it!"

"Thank you, Lakitu!" I replied as I accepted the award, "It is an honor for me to win two championship races!"

And so, I had a fantastic race to the finish.


	10. Yoshi and Bowser's Championship Race

**Yoshi and Bowser's Championship Race**

It's a beautiful day at the Mario Circuit racetrack where Yoshi and Bowser are training for the final round of the Double Dash!! Tournament with his go-kart, the Koopa King.

"I can't believe this is it, Bowser." Yoshi said, "This race will decide who is the champion and we're in the lead. If we win this race, then we're the champions. Right, Bowser?"

"It sure is Yoshi." Bowser replied, "And today, we're going to do a Double Dash!!"

"Wow, I love this technique. The race is going to start soon so, let's practice while we wait for Lakitu."

"OK, let's do it."

As Yoshi & Bowser train for the big race, the crowd is cheering as the announcer begins to speak, "Good afternoon race fans and welcome to the Double Dash!! Tournament's main event, the Mario Circuit 300. I'm Race T. and it's a beautiful day at Mario Circuit where 8 teams battle it out in the final race of the tournament. That's right, folks, one final race will decide which team is the champion and that team will receive this amazing trophy! The focus today is on the dynamic dragon-dino duo, Yoshi & Bowser. They fought their way to the top as the current leaders of the tournament but with only 1 race separates them & the trophy, can they stay in the lead?"

As the announcer talks about this race, Yoshi said, "Is the Koopa King finished, Bowser?"

Bowser smiled and said, "Yes, the go-kart is finished and now we can race. Let's get our racing suits and prepare for the race!"

So they got on their racing suits and as they got to the go-kart, Bowser said, "Well Yoshi, this is it. The final race is about to start. Are you ready?"

"Let's do this!" Yoshi smiled as the announcer meets the 8 teams.

"And now, our final team for this amazing championship race!" Race T. said, "They are a great pair since the tournament began, they fought their way to the top in the next 5 races of the tournament. Today, they are currently in the lead as we bring out our final pair of the race. Ladies and gentlemen, driving on the Koopa King is our current leaders in the tournament, please give it up for our final team, the dragon-dino duo… YOSHI & BOWSER!!!"

As they drive to the cheering crowd, the pair receives a big standing ovation as the crowd chants their names, "Yoshi and Bowser, Yoshi and Bowser, Yoshi and Bowser!"

"And here they are, folks!" Race T. said, "Tell me Yoshi, what's in store for today's race?"

Yoshi replied, "Well Race T., today's competition is going to be a good one as we prepare for this big race and we are currently in the lead so, let's see what happens in this race as we fight for the trophy."

"I see. And Bowser, anything you like to add to Yoshi's comment to this final race?"

"Yes, anyone who gets in our way will be Bowserized with my shell and our driving so, if you're watching this, don't try these at home!"

"Well, thank you for your time and good luck out there today and before you go, I have a question for the both of you. Do you have anything to say to our viewing audience?"

"Yes, I do have something to say for our viewers." Yoshi replied, "Today, we're doing a Double Dash and we are so glad to have our viewers watching us live on MKTV today so if you're watching this race today, we want to say thank you for supporting us. Thank you for being such a great audience throughout the entire tournament and best of all, we want to thank everyone for making us the dragon-dino duo and we are glad to have our viewers watching us in this final race today. Right, Bowser?"

"That's right, Yoshi." Bowser added, "If you're tuning in to this race, we are the best team in the tournament so get ready for our final race and keep supporting us as we go all the way to the trophy because we are the current leaders in the tournament. Right, Yoshi?"

"That's right. So take it from us and remember that no matter what happens in this final race, we will always have our viewers supporting us all the way. And remember, we are..."

"...the dragon-dino duo…"

They both shouted at the same time, "Yoshi & Bowser!!"

The crowd cheered for the pair as they got in the Koopa King.

"Wow, that's some true words from our dragon-dino duo!" Race T. said, "And now, for the thousands in attendance at Mario Circuit and for the millions watching this race around the globe, ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready to race!!!"

The crowd kept on cheering as the announcer said these famous words, "All right, racers… start your engines!!!"

Yoshi turned on the engine as Bowser made starting blocks for the Double Dash!!

"Well race fans, this is it. In just 3 laps, one team will go home the champion of the Double Dash Tournament and that team will receive the trophy." Race T. said, "And now, it's time to start the race. And here to start this amazing championship race is our referee, Lakitu!"

Lakitu appeared on the track with his start signal in his hand, waiting for the race to begin.

"This is it, are you ready for the Double Dash?" Yoshi asked.

"Let's do it!" Bowser replied as he checks out the road.

"All right everyone, are you ready for the championship?" Lakitu asked.

"Yes!"

"And is our dragon-dino duo ready for the trophy?"

"Yes, Lakitu." Yoshi replied, "And you look so good in your green shell."

"That's right, Yoshi." Bowser added, "Now then, will you push the button on your start signal so we can begin our final race?"

Lakitu agreed with them and replied, "Yoshi and Bowser, you are a great pair and as the referee of this tournament, it will be a great honor to say that you are the best dragon-dino duo in the entire tournament. The Mushroom Kingdom loves you and most of all, Mario Circuit loves you. So on behalf of this entire tournament, it gives me great pleasure to present to you with this special trophy for being the best pair. Congratulations you two, you deserve it!"

The crowd cheered as Lakitu gave the dragon-dino duo a special trophy that says: 'Best Dragon-Dino Duo'

"And in addition to the special trophy, you two have won a 25,000 coin bonus!"

"A bonus?" Yoshi & Bowser asked.

"That's right you two, 25,000 coins." Lakitu replied. "Well, there is one more thing left for me to say before I push the button and that is: Yoshi & Bowser, are you ready?"

"YES!!" Yoshi & Bowser shouted at the same time, "Let's start the race!!"

Lakitu smiled to the pair and said, "OK everyone, on the count of 3, 2, 1... GO!, the race for the trophy begins. And Yoshi and Bowser?"

"Yes, Lakitu?"

"Thank you for being the best dragon-dino duo. You two make a great team and I wish you the best of luck out there in today's championship race. Now then, may I start the countdown by pushing this green button on my start signal like I promised, Yoshi & Bowser?"

Bowser replied to him, "Lakitu, we got our special trophy and we have one word for you before you push that button and that is yes."

"Are you sure you're ready for the championship?"

"Yes!" Bowser agreed, "Now push..."

"...the..." Yoshi added.

They both shouted at the same time: "BUTTON!!"

Lakitu agreed with the pair and replied, "Well, all right then, now when I say 3, 2, 1... GO!, the final race will officially begin. And by the way, this is for the last time in the entire tournament so let's make this final race fair and square and whoever crosses the finish line first is declared the winner and that team will receive this championship trophy. Ready?"

"Yes!"

"Then here we go!!"

Then he pressed the button on the signal and started the countdown, "3..."

Yoshi revved up his engine…

"2..."

Bowser said to him, "Get ready!"

"1..."

Yoshi and Bowser took a deep breath and slowly shouted the 2 words at the same time as Lakitu is about to shine the green light, "Double…

…

"_**GO!!**_"

…**DASH!!**"

As Lakitu shines the green light, Yoshi slams down on the gas pedal and Bowser holds on tight as the kart spits out blue fire from the exhaust pipe. The Double Dash worked as they drive their way to the cheering crowd and the championship.

Lakitu smiled to the pair and said, "Good luck, Dragon-Dino duo!"

"Thank you, Lakitu. See you in 3 laps!" Yoshi and Bowser replied as the race for the championship begins!

As the race goes on, the dragon-dino duo are doing a great job. It is the 3rd and final lap of the championship and all they need is to cross the finish line and the trophy is theirs. The crowd chanted their names as Race T. gets excited.

"This is it, folks. The winner will soon be decided as we approach the finish line of this spectacular championship race. It's the Dragon-Dino duo in the lead but here comes the Scare Pair trying to catch up. It's going to be a photo finish as both teams are neck and neck. Who will win the trophy?"

The crowd cheered as the teams are 300 meters away from the finish line. Yoshi and Bowser saw the line and Bowser said, "This is it, the finish line is fast approaching and we're going to win."

"That's right, Bowser." Yoshi replied, "Get ready for the trophy because Lakitu is going to wave the checkered flag when we get there. Do you see him, Bowser?"

"Yes, I see him and there's the checkered flag. Let's go, Yoshi!"

So Yoshi slammed down on the gas and kept on driving as Lakitu is about to wave the flag. He raised it up and when both teams crossed the finish line at the same time, he waved the flag and said, "**FINISH!!**"

"What a race, folks. Both teams have crossed the finish line at the same time but only 1 team crossed it first and that team is our winner. And now, here's Lakitu with the final decision on who crossed it. Lakitu, do we have a champion?" Race T. asked.

"Yes, I have the final results of this championship race." Lakitu replied, "Ladies & gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the winner of the race, and champion of the Double Dash Tournament who will receive this trophy is...

The crowd grew very silent as they watched and waited for the decision from Lakitu.

And then, Lakitu announced the winner.

The Dragon-Dino duo...**YOSHI & BOWSER!!!**"

"Did you say Dragon-Dino duo?" Yoshi asked.

"Yes, Yoshi. I said the Dragon-Dino duo." Lakitu replied.

"You mean us, Yoshi & Bowser?" Bowser added.

"That's right, you two. I said that the winner is Yoshi & Bowser, the Dragon-Dino duo."

"But why, Lakitu?"

"Because you crossed the finish line first and the instant replay shows you that you have officially crossed the finish line!"

"Oh, so that's why!"

"And since you have the most points overall in the standings, I have some words for you. Are you ready to hear these famous words from the referee?"

"Yes, let's hear it!"

"All right, here it is. Yoshi & Bowser, I'm pleased to tell you that after a nice race, it is my honor of saying that you are the best dragon-dino duo, you two fought your way to the finish line, and best of all, it is my pleasure to announce that you are currently in the lead. Yoshi & Bowser, it gives me great pleasure to say that...

The duo held their breath as Lakitu announced the results.

YOU ARE THE DOUBLE DASH TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS!!!"

"We are?" the duo asked.

"That's right, you win!"

"We won, we won!!" Yoshi & Bowser shouted as they hug each other, "YES!!"

The crowd erupted in big screams and cheers as the dragon-dino duo receives the biggest ovation heard.

"I can't believe this is happening, folks." Race T. said in excitement, "For the first time ever, the dragon-dino duo did a Double Dash, overcame many obstacles and now, they are the champions of the Double Dash Tournament. Unbelievable!!"

Lakitu came to the pair and said, "Congratulations, Yoshi & Bowser. You won the race for crossing the finish line and now it gives me great pleasure to present to you with this championship trophy! Well done, you deserve the trophy and the crowd loves you!"

"Thanks, Lakitu." Yoshi replied, "And that's why we are..."

"...the dragon-dino duo..." Bowser added.

They both shouted their names as they held the trophy up high, "Yoshi & Bowser!!"

Race T. came to them and said, "Yoshi & Bowser, you are the champions and I have a question for you. What are you going to do next?"

"We're going to Yoshi Park to celebrate our victory!" They replied as they drove off to the cheering crowd.


	11. Yoshi's Perfect Performance

**Yoshi's Perfect Performance**

Our chapter begins at Waluigi Stadium where Yoshi is training for the final race in the Banana Cup and he is so excited to be in the race.

The stadium has an announcer and a lot of fans, cheering and screaming for Yoshi as the announcer begins to speak.

"Good afternoon race fans, I hope you're ready to see some kart racing action from Waluigi Stadium today because it's the final race of the Banana Cup!" the announcer said, "That's right, it's the final race for the trophy as we got 12 racers battling for that prize right here in this stadium!"

The crowd cheered as the 12 racers are preparing for the final race.

"Before we get started, let's check out the current scores after 3 races, shall we?" the announcer said as the big screen shows the scoreboard, "Right now, Yoshi is in 1st place with 45 points, followed by Funky Kong with 40 and Toadette with 34. Now if Yoshi wins this race, he'll earn 15 more points which gives him a perfect score of 60 points, and the trophy!"

If you may recall, since Yoshi is in 1st place from the last race, then he'll start this race in that same position!

"Now, it's time for the final race but first, let's talk to Yoshi in my favorite segment, 'Talking With The Racers'" the announcer said as he went to see Yoshi in the Standard Kart M, "So Yoshi, you're in the lead and this is everyone's main question. Why are you preparing for this race?" Yoshi smiled.

"It's real simple; this course has ramps, fireball cogs, mechanical Piranha Plants, and a cheering crowd. I say that this is my favorite arena to race for the trophy!"

"I see, well thanks for talking with me and good luck today, Yoshi!" The announcer said.

Yoshi replied, "I will and announcer guy, I have 2 words for everyone watching this race and they are… let's race!"

The crowd cheered as Yoshi said it. The announcer got excited.

"You got it, Yoshi and everyone, start your engines because… it's race time!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as everyone started their engines and got to the starting line!

"Well race fans I think it's time to start the race and as a reminder, here are the scores: Yoshi has 45, Funky Kong has 40 and Toadette, 34. Now to start this final race, here's our referee, who is it, everyone?"

Everyone shouted, "Lakitu!", and Lakitu appeared in front of the racers.

"Racers, are you ready?" Lakitu said.

Everyone shouted, "Yes!", and Lakitu pushed the button to start the race.

Lakitu started the countdown and said, "3… 2… 1…

Yoshi shouted the 2 words, "Rocket…

…GO!" Lakitu finished.

…Start!" And Yoshi slammed on the gas to give him the rocket start!

The announcer said, "Yoshi got a rocket start and the race is on!"

Yoshi saw the cheering crowd as he begins lap 1 with a nice left turn. The crowd cheered as he made his 1st trick of the race.

The race continued on as the announcer said throughout the race, "As you can see, Yoshi is currently in 1st place thanks to the rocket start he got earlier and everyone saw it on instant replay. Let's take a look at that performance. Right when the green light flashed, Yoshi slammed on the gas and got a boost from the starting line, nice work Yoshi. Now, let's get back to the race and the standings are the same as we begin lap 2!"

The crowd cheered as Yoshi made some tricks and got the crowd moving as he crossed the finish line to kick off… the final lap!

"This is it, the final lap. If Yoshi crosses the finish line, he wins the trophy." The announcer said.

Yoshi said as he made a brand new trick, "Yoshi… Helicopter… Spin!" and the crowd liked it!

"Here comes Yoshi as he approaches the finish line with Toadette closing in. It's neck and neck as both racers are 50 meters away from victory. Yoshi is going to make a perfect finish for the trophy and Toadette is in 2nd place with 10 meters to go. Who is it?" The announcer said as the racers are almost at the finish line, "And the person who crossed the finish line is…

The crowd watched and waited as a racer crossed the finish line. The announcer took a deep breath and said the racer's name.

**Yoshi!"**

The crowd erupted in cheers as Yoshi is the winner of the final race.

"Now let's check out our final scores. With a perfect score of 60 points, Yoshi wins the Banana Cup, amazing!" the announcer shouted as Yoshi got a perfect score!

"Toadette earns 12 more points for a total of 46 and Funky Kong earns 10 for his final score of 50. So the final scores are: Yoshi, 60, Funky Kong, 50, and Toadette, 46!"

The crowd cheered very loudly as Yoshi received the Gold Banana Cup Trophy for his perfect performance.

Yoshi said in the end, "Now that's what I call a perfect performance!"


	12. Racing at Luigi Circuit

**Racing at Luigi Circuit**

It's a beautiful day to race.

With 12 racers ready to chase.

The sun shines on this beautiful day

The race is just moments away.

The crowd cheers and it's a perfect fit

On this beautiful racetrack named Luigi Circuit.

One of them is named Yoshi

The coolest racer in Mario Kart Wii

The stage is set, the sun shines

This race is going to be fine.

Lakitu came with the starting lights

The racers are ready for a racing fight

The engines roar, the cheers of the crowd

They are screaming very loud!

All that's left is to get in place

It's now time to start the race

The time has come, the lights turn on.

Pretty soon, the racers will be gone

To start the race, there's only one way.

Count it down, and they will go away.

The lights counts down real slow.

3, 2, 1... _**GO**_!

The lights turn green, and the horn sounds

The race will last for 3 rounds.

This is great and very fun

Because the first race has begun!


	13. Yoshi & Birdo's First Double Dash!

**Yoshi & Birdo's First Double Dash!**

It's a beautiful day for a race in Yoshi Circuit as Yoshi and Birdo teamed up for the big race and today, they're about to perform the biggest racing technique… the Double Dash!

"I can't wait for the Double Dash technique to be activated," Yoshi said, "It's my favorite technique in the game."

Birdo replied, "It sure is partner and with the Turbo Yoshi by our side, we can perform the new technique."

As they are preparing for the big race, Lakitu came in and said to the racers, "Attention all racers, the race starts in 2 minutes so everyone, finish preparing and meet me at the starting line."

Yoshi is making some final adjustments on the Turbo Yoshi with some green paint while Birdo is making some adjustments on the wheels and the engines.

"One minute!" Lakitu said.

"Well, our go-kart is finished and we're ready to go, Birdo." Yoshi said

Birdo replied to him and said, "Yes Yoshi, we are ready to go but who will be the Driver and who will be the Thrower?"

"Attention racers, the race is about to begin, everyone to the starting line for the start of the race!" Lakitu said, "Pick your Driver and your Thrower and get to the starting line."

Yoshi decided and said, "I'll drive and you throw, is that OK, partner?"

Birdo replied and said to him, "OK, let's go do the Double Dash!"

They got to the starting line and Lakitu came in with the start signal and said, "Racers start your engines!"

The sun was shining all across the circuit as everyone started their engines and waited for the green light to turn on for the start of the race. Yoshi said to Birdo, "Is the Double Dash ready?"

Birdo replied to him and said, "The Double Dash gauge is at 100%, Yoshi. The Double Dash is set!"

"Is everyone ready to race to the finish line?" Lakitu asked everyone.

"Yes!" they all shouted.

"Then on your marks…"

Yoshi set the Double Dash to activate.

"Get set…"

Birdo looked all across the road for a second, waiting for the Double Dash to be activated. Yoshi said "Ready for the Double Dash!, partner?"

She replied to him, "Yes, now step on the gas and let's say it together!" Then, the green light flashed and Lakitu said the one word that officially started the race…

"_**GO!**_"

They both shouted at the same time, "Now, Double… Dash!"

Yoshi stepped on the gas and Birdo gripped the handle which let the kart spit out blue flames from the engine. The double dash worked and off they went to race to the finish line!


	14. Bowser Jr's Big Kart Race

**Bowser Jr.'s Big Kart Race**

It was a bright and sunny day at the Mario Circuit racetrack where Bowser Jr. was polishing his green and orange go-kart. This is the day for him because today is the big go-kart race at Mario Circuit. Bowser Jr. loves to compete in various sporting tournaments and racing is one of them. As the crowd begins to cheer, the announcer is also here, ready to start the race.

"Good afternoon race fans. It's a beautiful day at Mario Circuit and what a better way to have a go-kart race than right here at Mario Circuit. This is your racing announcer Speed D. and it's a pleasure to have you on this beautiful day. Today's race is going to be a good one because we have 8 racers battling it out for the tournament because it's the final race before the big tournament. That means there is only one more spot to fill and Bowser Jr. is one of them. The big question is will the Koopa Prince advance for a shot at the big tournament? We're about to find out as we go to our reporter Wheel T., who is at the starting line with Bowser Jr. Wheel?"

"Thanks Speed. I'm here with Bowser Jr. and Jr., let me be the first to say that you compete in various tournaments and today is your big day. So tell me Bowser Jr., what's in store for today's race?" Wheel T. asked.

"Well, today's race is going to be a good one and my dad is here in the stands, cheering for me." Bowser Jr. replied, "I think that this race is going to be a great one and if I win today, I'll be the 8th and final racer who will compete in the finals."

"I see. Now according to your profile, you are one of Bowser's 8 children. Is that true?"

"That's right. I'm the youngest of the bunch and we love to play together with our dad."

"And I see that Bowser is waving at the stands right now. Is that your dad?"

"Yes, that's my dad. We love to compete together and that's why I came here to race."

"Well, good luck out there and I hope that you will make your dad very proud in today's race. Thanks for talking with me today and before you go, can you give a shout out to Speed back in the studio?"

"Yes, Speed, I would like to talk with you before I send it back to you in the studio."

"Go ahead Bowser Jr., I'm listening."

"I would like to dedicate this spectacular race to my dad who is at the stands right now, Speed D. for hosting this amazing race right here in the studio, and to all of our viewers who is watching this race at home right now! Well, that's it from me and Speed, it's back to you!"

"Thanks Bowser Jr. for that amazing dedication. Now that we got your attention, let's meet our 8 racers!" Speed said as the crowd cheered.

As the announcer meets the 8 racers, Bowser Jr. hopped in to his green and orange go-kart and said, "Well, this is it. The big race is about to start and if I win today, then I'll advance to the finals. Well, here we go!"

"And now, for our final racer of the race." Speed said, "He is Bowser's son. His hobbies include playing sports, stealing princesses, and breathing fire. Ladies and gentlemen, driving on the Standard Kart M is our pole position racer, the Koopa Prince… BOWSER JR.!"

As the announcer shouts his name, Bowser Jr. drives in to the cheers and applause of the crowd, chanting his name all across the track, "Bowser Jr., Bowser Jr. Bowser Jr.!"

"Listen to that crowd, they love Bowser Jr. and everyone loves it. And now, the moment you've been waiting for is here at last. Racers, start your engines!"

Bowser Jr. turned on his engine and began to rev up as the crowd cheered.

Speed said, "Well folks, this is it. The race to decide who will fill in the pole position in the finals is about to start and I can't wait for someone to fill in that last spot. So, the crowd is ready to go, our 8 racers are at the starting line, and the stage is set for what promises to be a spectacular race. But, we are missing the most important part of the race. That's right, we forgot someone who will give the signal to start the race and that someone is our referee, Lakitu!"

As Lakitu came in with the start signal, the crowd began to cheer. A perfect day like this is a perfect day for kart racing.

"Now before we get started with this spectacular race, let's take a quick look at Bowser Jr.'s stats for the viewers watching this race at home. And here they are. Bowser Jr. currently stands at 4' 10", his favorite sports are basketball, baseball, and soccer, his favorite attack is the dreaded fire breath, and his go-kart that he is driving right now is the Standard Kart M. And now, it's time for the race to begin." Speed said, "That's right, race fans, it is time to start the countdown to this spectacular race and I think everyone is ready to go and in just a few seconds, the green light will flash and the race will officially begin. This is my favorite part of this spectacular race and I can't wait for the green light to shine on these 8 amazing racers. So sit back, relax, and enjoy what promises to be a spectacular race right here at Mario Circuit! Well, enough chit-chat. Lakitu, start the countdown and let's get this race started!"

Lakitu agreed with him as he turned on the lights. The crowd grew silent as Lakitu starts the countdown, "3..."

Bowser Jr. revved up his engine…

"2..."

The crowd grew very silent…

"1..."

It all comes down to this. In just 1 second, the race will officially begin. Bowser Jr. looked at the road for a moment, took one last deep breath, and then he said the only 2 words that will give him a head start, "Rocket…"

And then…

And then…

Lakitu shines the green light…

"_**GO!**_"

…**START!**"

With the green light shining on him and with a shout from Bowser Jr., he stepped on the gas pedal and flew out of the starting line. The crowd cheered as Bowser Jr. has made a successful rocket start and everyone liked it.

"And Bowser Jr. starts the race off with a nice rocket start as we begin this spectacular race here at Mario Circuit and what a rocket start it was. I love it and I think we could see it again in an instant replay. Let's take a look at that rocket start. As soon as Lakitu shines the green light, Bowser Jr. hits the gas at the right time and then… ROCKET START! Now that's what I call a spectacular rocket start from the Koopa Prince. Let's get back to the race, shall we?" Speed said as lap 1 begins.

As the race progresses, the crowd cheered for these 8 racers as the final lap begins.

"This is it, the final lap of this go-kart race and I must say that this was a great race but someone has to cross the finish line when this lap is over. And here comes Bowser Jr. as he approaches the finish line. It's going to be a big finish as Jr. is just meters away from qualifying. Can he make it across and advance to the finals?"

"This is it. The finish line is straight ahead." Bowser Jr. said as he drives to the finish line with the crowd cheering, "Come on, make it across, make it across!"

And then, he made it across the finish line. Bowser Jr. has won the race!

"I won!" Bowser Jr. cheered, "I made it across the finish line! I'm going to the finals!"

"Yes, Bowser Jr. has done it!" Speed said, "I can't believe this is happening folks but the Koopa Prince is moving on to the finals and what a finish it was. Let's go to Wheel for an interview with our winner. Wheel!"

"Thanks Speed and congratulations, Bowser Jr.!" Wheel said, "You're moving on to the finals. How does it feel to be the final racer who is going to the finals?"

"It was amazing. I did a rocket start in the beginning and when I got to the final lap, I said to myself that I'm going to make it and now, I made it. I'm going to the finals!" Bowser Jr. replied as the crowd cheered.

"Well, I say that was a great race and I think that here comes your dad!"

Bowser came to him and said, "Son, you did it! You made your dad proud. Congratulations son!"

"Thanks, dad. I could have done it without you!" Jr. replied as he hugged his dad.

And so, Bowser Jr. had a spectacular race and felt like a champion!


	15. Yoshi's Double Time Trial

**Yoshi's Double Time Trial**

It's a beautiful day for a time trial where Yoshi was about to begin his time trial at the Drag Race Track. He saw his green and white drag racer at the starting line, waiting for the light to turn green at any moment. Yoshi smiled to himself and said, "Wow, it's a perfect day for a time trial and I can't wait for the race to begin. The drag racer is ready and all I need now is my racing suit. Let's go find one."

So Yoshi ran to his clothing room and saw his set of suits. He said, "Let's see here. I have a basketball jersey for basketball, a baseball uniform for baseball, and my trademark clothing for adventures. But which one is my racing suit so I can do a drag race time trial?"

Just then, he saw his trademark green and white racing suit. Yoshi smiled and said, "That's it! That's the suit that I was looking for, my green and white racing suit! I've been using it since my last Mario Kart Tournament and it is still here. Let's put it on and get ready to race."

So Yoshi put on his green and white racing suit and zipped it up real tight. He said, "A perfect fit. Now that I'm all suited up, it's time for my time trial. To the Yoshi Racer!"

Yoshi ran to his drag racer and took his place at the starting line. Just then, he saw Lakitu with his starting lights and said, "Hey Lakitu, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing great." Lakitu replied, "So, you're here for your time trial?"

"Yes," Yoshi replied, "I've been looking forward for this time trial and I can't wait for you to give the signal to start the time trial for me. So, I was thinking if we could start the time trial and when I'm done, you can tell the official race time to me. OK?"

"I can do that because my start signal also has a stopwatch feature so I can time you from the green light to the finish line. Now, are you ready for your first time trial in drag racing?"

"Yes!" Yoshi replied as he took his position, "Lakitu, count me off!"

"Alright, here we go, 3..."

He turned on his engine…

"2..."

He sets the controls…

"1..."

Yoshi took a deep breath and waited for the light to turn green. When everything is ready, Lakitu shined the green light…

"_**GO!**_"

Yoshi hits the gas and flew straight across the track. Lakitu checked his stopwatch and when Yoshi got to the finish line, Lakitu said, "8.11 seconds, Yoshi. Great run! Say, I do have one more time trial for you and this time, it's going to be a 3-lap go-kart time trial around your racetrack, Yoshi Circuit. Do you want to do it now?"

"Yoshi loves time trials and I say, yes!" Yoshi replied with a thumbs up.

"Great, now I think you can switch your racing mode because the Yoshi Racer has 2 modes, drag race and go-kart."

"I can do that." Yoshi said, "Yoshi Racer, change modes from drag racer to go-kart. Racing Mode Change!"

With a push of the button and a shout from Yoshi, the Yoshi Racer transformed from his drag racing form to his go-kart form. When the transformation was complete, Yoshi said, "Yoshi Racer, Go-Kart Mode!"

"Wow!" Lakitu replied, "I like it. I never knew that your Yoshi Racer can change modes whenever you want. I can also do that because my start signal also has various mode changes. Do I want to change from drag race mode to Mario Kart mode?"

"Go ahead Lakitu, change modes!" Yoshi replied with a thumbs up.

"Alright, let's see what this item can really do. Start Signal, Mario Kart Mode!"

Lakitu pressed the Mario Kart button and it changed from drag racing to Mario Kart.

"There we go, one Start Signal in Mario Kart mode, just as requested. Now, let's start your time trial in Yoshi Circuit and you need these three mushrooms for this run. Let's go. Next stop, Yoshi Circuit!"

So the duo raced on to Yoshi Circuit for Yoshi's second time trial of the day, go-karting.

"Alright Yoshi, we're here and we're ready for your second time trial. Now, here's how it works. In a moment, I'll shine the green light and start the time trial. Your job is to get the fastest lap time and fastest race time overall. You have three mushrooms that will help you during your run. As always, the stopwatch will keep track of how fast you go during your run. You have three laps! So, are you ready to begin?" Lakitu asked him.

"Yes, and my three mushrooms are ready to go so Lakitu, the signature phrase, if you please."

"OK, here we go! 3..."

Yoshi revved up his engine…

"2..."

He placed the mushrooms in the item box…

"1..."

Yoshi held his breath and slowly said the head start phrase, "Rocket…"

And then…

And then…

The signal turns green…

"_**GO!**_"

"_**START!**_"

With the phrase shouted, Yoshi slammed down on the gas pedal and the Yoshi Racer took off in a cloud of dust, leaving Lakitu in black smoke. Lakitu said, "Great rocket start, Yoshi!"

When Yoshi crossed the finish line on the third lap, Lakitu waved the flag and said, "Finish! That was amazing, Yoshi! You did so well and I like it!"

"Thanks, Lakitu. So, what is my official race time across Yoshi Circuit?" Yoshi asked.

"Let's go to the stopwatch and see how well you did on each lap. Once we have the three lap times, I can reveal your best lap time and the overall race time. OK?"

"OK!" Yoshi smiled.

Lakitu took out his stopwatch and said, "On lap one, you did a great rocket start at the beginning and even though you made a few bumps, you did very well so, your time for lap one was 36.20 seconds. In lap two, you did a faster lap than the first one and you did improve on the steering. Great job! 33.11 seconds for lap two. In the final lap of your run, you did it in the fastest and your mushrooms did help you get this amazing total so, you got a 30.69 race time for this lap. Well, now that we have three different lap times, I think it's time for the best lap time and the overall race time of this time trial. Are you ready to hear the official results?"

"Yes!" Yoshi replied with a thumbs up.

"OK then, here we go! Yoshi, the stopwatch has decided on your best lap time. The best lap time of this go-kart time trial at Yoshi Circuit is..."

Yoshi closed his eyes and took a deep breath as Lakitu pressed the button on the stopwatch that will show him the best lap time.

And then, the best lap time was revealed. Lakitu smiled and said, "Your best lap time is... _**30.69!**_ Great job, Yoshi! That is your best lap time on this track. And now, for the overall total after all three laps. Yoshi, are you ready?"

"I'm all set!" Yoshi replied as he crossed his fingers.

"Alright, here we go. After three laps of racing, the stopwatch has decided and verified on this final total. Yoshi, close your eyes and listen to this. The total race time overall at Yoshi Circuit after all three laps is..."

Then, with a push of the button, the stopwatch begins to add up his three lap times. Yoshi held his breath as the stopwatch calculated the final results.

And then...

And then...

The stopwatch shows the final score.

Lakitu held his breath and said, "Yoshi, good news! The stopwatch said that your final score is officially in the triple digits! Great job! So, are you ready for the total?"

"**_YES!_**" Yoshi shouted, "Tell me, what's the total race time?"

"I have your total on this stopwatch and I can reveal that the official race time overall after three laps is... _**1:40.00! **_You have earned a brand new record!"

Yoshi hugged Lakitu and said, "I got the fastest time, I got the fastest time! Say, do you want to get some Yoshi Egg Double Cheeseburgers at Mario Burgers?"

"Sure! I think that we could get some well-deserved lunch after a nice time trial and you did get the best lap and race time overall so, let's eat!"

And so, after a nice time trial, the duo went to Mario Burgers for a fantastic lunch.


	16. Yoshi's Biggest Race in Mario Circuit

**Yoshi's Biggest Mario Kart Race in Mario Circuit**

Today is Yoshi's big day at the Mushroom Kingdom because the Mario Kart Grand Championship is held today at Mario Circuit and he's so happy to compete in today's race.

The race is at 3 p.m today at the starting line and he is ready to go but he forgot one thing, his go-kart. So he hopped in to his go-kart, the Standard Kart M and off he went to the big race.

When Yoshi got to the racetrack, he was amazed to see the cheering crowd from the grandstand and even the announcer is here!

"Good afternoon race fans and welcome to the Mario Kart Grand Championship race coming to you live from Mario Circuit!" the announcer said. "This is a great day for a race today because this race will decide who is the grand champion and will receive this trophy. The focus is on Yoshi today because he crossed the finish line by using his tongue in Peach Gardens in the semifinals and today, he'll be in the pole position for the championship."

"Well fans, before we get started, are you ready to show you around the course?"

The announcer shows the map of the course. "First the racers cross the starting line, head to the first turn and find some Goombas in your way. Then head past Princess Peach's Castle for turn 2 of the race, next they must head through the tunnel and find some more Goombas in your path and finally, the racers must pass the bridge and cross the finish line to complete the 1st lap of the race. The first racer who crosses the finish line on the final lap wins the race and gets this fantastic trophy!"

The crowd oohed and aahed at the trophy the announcer is showing at the finish line.

Moments later, Lakitu appeared with his start signal and said, "Racers, this is it. This championship race will begin when I give the green light. But before I give the signal, let me tell you that the winner of this race will receive this Mario Kart Grand Championship trophy!"

The crowd is amazed when he sees the trophy at the finish line.

"All right!" Lakitu said. "Racers, are you ready?"

"Yes!" the racers said.

"Mario Circuit, are you ready?"

The crowd cheered and said, "Yes!"

"Then racers, start your engines!" Lakitu said.

The crowd cheered very loudly as the racers started their engines and lined up at the starting line.

"This is it! The moment you've been waiting for! It's time to race for the championship, good luck!" Lakitu said to the racers. "Do you have anything to say before I start the countdown?"

Yoshi said to him as he stopped his engine, "Yes, I have anything to say."

Then Lakitu said to him, "OK!"

Yoshi spoke to him and said, "I want to dedicate this race to my friend Mario for creating this course and also, I want to say that if I win today, then I'll be the first dinosaur to win this trophy."

"Awww!" the crowd said.

"That's so touching, Yoshi!" Lakitu said, "You're dedicating this race to your best friend? That's so amazing for me to hear because I also have anything to say to you before we start this championship race. If you win, then you'll get to see your best friend in person!"

Yoshi asked him and said, "Who is it?"

Lakitu answered, "It's Mario!"

Yoshi hugged him and said, "Thank you, Lakitu!"

"You're welcome, Yoshi." Lakitu said. "And I have one more request for you. Will you let me start the countdown to the championship race for you?"

Yoshi answered, "Yes!"

"Are you sure, Yoshi?" Lakitu asked.

Yoshi replied, "Yes! Let's start the countdown right now!"

Lakitu said to him, "OK! Now, get in your go-kart, start your engine and get ready! The race starts in 20 seconds! Good luck, Yoshi!"

"I will!" Yoshi replied.

And so he did. He got to his go-kart, started the engine and got to the starting line.

Lakitu said to the racers, "Is everyone ready?"

"Yes!" said the racers.

"And is Yoshi ready?"

Yoshi said to him, "Yes, Lakitu!"

Lakitu agreed to him and said, "OK! The race begins in 10 seconds so everyone, good luck and may the best racer win. Especially you, Yoshi! You are my good friend and furthermore..."

Yoshi said to him, "Just push the button, Lakitu!"

"All right, Yoshi!" Lakitu replied to him with a smile, "Here we go!"

With the push of the button from his start signal, the countdown to the championship race begins. The crowd grew silent.

"3... 2... 1... GO!" shouted Lakitu.

The green light flashed and all of the racers flew out of the starting line in a cloud of dust as the crowd cheered. The championship race has officially begun!

Yoshi took an early lead thanks to his rocket start technique and is in 1st place so far.

The crowd cheered for him as the racers took the first turn.

"And as you can see that Yoshi is in 1st place in the 1st lap of the race and on the sideline is the Mario Kart Grand Championship trophy! The biggest prize for the winner." the announcer said throughout the race. "Now let's have an interview with Mario who will talk to us today about Yoshi's greatest performance in the semifinals. So Mario, what do think about Yoshi's amazing finish in the semifinals?"

Mario said to him, "It's amazing! I saw it and the tongue was sticking out at the finish line in Peach Gardens. It was cool."

"I see. Do you think that your best friend is going to win the trophy at the finish line?" the announcer asked.

"Yes!" Mario answered. "He's my partner and I raced with him in the Double Dash! days. We won all of the trophies and got a hug from each other at the award ceremony in Peach Beach."

"Awww!" the crowd said.

"That's so touching. Well, thank you for your time Mario. Now let's get back to the race! It's the 2nd lap now and the standings are pretty much the same!" the announcer said.

The crowd cheered when the racers cross the line for the 2nd time meaning that it is time to decide the champion in... the final lap!

"Well race fans, this is it! The ultimate champion will be decided in this final lap." the announcer said. "Yoshi is in 1st place but here comes Bowser closing in and... oh my goodness! He took 1st place from him. But here comes Yoshi at the 2nd turn and got 1st place back from him!"

The crowd cheered louder as they approach the finish line. The announcer got excited.

"This is it, folks! The champion will soon be decided! It's Yoshi in the lead but here comes Bowser closing in and... oh! Bowser has pulled in front of Yoshi! No wait, Yoshi is coming back. It's going to be a photo finish and... OH MY GOODNESS! WE HAVE A GRAND CHAMPION! YOSHI HAS WON THE TITLE, THE FIRST DINOUSAUR TO DO SO IN MARIO KART HISTORY! UNBELIEVABLE!" the announcer screamed.

The crowd erupted in cheers for the champion as Yoshi came out of the kart, jumping, screaming and said, "I DID IT! I DID IT!"

Then Mario came to him with the trophy and said, "Nice race, Yoshi! You are the champion! Well, here's your trophy and will you be my racing partner in the next Double Dash! tournament?"

Yoshi said to him, "Yes, Mario!" and gave him a big hug as the crowd cheered for him as the grand champion!


	17. Acronym poem Mario Kart

****Acronym poem Mario Kart****

M is for the mountains that climb up high

A is for the air, up in the sky

R is for the rain that drops

I is or ink that never stops

O is for oranges, how yummy!

K is for the karts that never gets funny

A is for ants that always crawl

R is for racing, fun for all

T is for thunder, rumbling apart

Put those nine letters together, and you have… Mario Kart!


	18. Yoshi Saves the Race

**Yoshi Saves the Mario Kart Race**

The storychapter begins in Mario Circuit where the race is held today and the crowd is cheering. "And now, here to start this race is our referee, Lakitu!" the announcer said.

But, Lakitu can't make it! The crowd felt sad.

Then Yoshi came in and said, "Oh, no! The race is about to start and Lakitu's not here. I better go see him and find out what he's up to."

He went to the hospital and saw Lakitu. "Lakitu, are you OK?" Yoshi asked.

Lakitu said slowly, "I'm sorry I can't make it for the race but you can start the race for me."

"How can I start the race for you?" Yoshi asked.

Lakitu gave him the start signal and said, "Use my start signal!"

"Wow!" Yoshi replied to him when he saw the signal. "But how does it work?"

"I'll show you how it works!" Lakitu answered. "First you call the racers by saying 'Racers, start your engines!', next you push the green button. This button triggers the countdown lights and finally, you say the countdown phrase and the race officially begins! Got it?"

"Got it!" Yoshi said.

"Now, go to Mario Circuit and hurry! Good luck Yoshi! " Lakitu said.

Yoshi thanked him and said "I will!"

So, he used the warp pipe and off he went to Mario Circuit.

"Well race fans, it looks like we have a special guest referee who will start the race for us this afternoon." the announcer said, "Please welcome our special guest referee, Yoshi!"

The crowd cheered for him as Yoshi makes his way to the track!

"Thank you, Thank you so much!" Yoshi said, "Now, what did Lakitu say again? Oh! I remembered now!"

He said to the racers, "Racers, start your engines!" and all of the racers started their engines thanks to his instruction.

"Now for step 2: Push the green button, this button triggers the countdown lights." he said. "Now which button triggers the countdown lights?"

He searched for the button high and low, but there's no green button. So he kept on looking.

When he got to the green button, it reads: 'Countdown Light Button Switch On/Off'. Yoshi got excited and said, "That's it! That's the one that I was looking for! This green button triggers the countdown lights. Let's push it!" He pushed the green button and the lights turned on.

"All right!" Yoshi proclaimed, "Now all that's left is to say the countdown phrase. If I say the phrase, then the race officially begins. To the starting line!"

So he went to the starting line in front of the racers with his start signal on the left hand, waiting for the countdown to begin.

"This is it, race fans! It all comes down to the phrase. If Yoshi says this phrase, then the race officially begins!" the announcer said. "Let's cheer him on, everyone! Yoshi! Yoshi! Yoshi!"

The crowd chanted his name: "Yoshi! Yoshi! Yoshi!"

Even Lakitu at the hospital watched the race and chanted his name, too! "Yoshi! Yoshi! Yoshi!"

Yoshi thought to himself: _*This is for you, Lakitu. I hope this works.*_

He raised his right hand up, took a deep breath and he's ready to say the famous phrase that officially begins the race.

"Well, here goes!" Yoshi said, "Racers, are you ready?"

The crowd grew silent and chanted as Yoshi says the famous phrase, "Say it! Say it! Say it!"

"Here we go!" Yoshi shouted, "3..."

Lakitu said to him, "Yes!"

"2..."

The crowd said to him, "Yes! Yes!"

"1..."

The announcer said to him, "Just one more! Say the word!"

Yoshi took a deep breath and then he said the one word that officially begins the race, "And..."

Everyone watched and waited.

"_**GO!**_"

The green light flashed and the crowd cheered as the racers flew out of the starting line in a cloud of dust. Yoshi has saved the race for the first time!

"I did it! I did it!" Yoshi proclaimed, "I saved the race!"

The announcer got excited, "He did it! Yoshi started the race! Thank you, Yoshi! The crowd loves you! Look!"

The crowd cheered for him in a standing ovation by saying his name, "Yoshi! Yoshi! Yoshi!"

After the race, Lakitu came back and feeling better than ever. He told Yoshi, "Wow Yoshi, you saved the race for me? Thank you so much! I knew I can count on you! Say, will you be my co-referee in the next race?"

Yoshi answered, "Yes! Yes! Yes! I'll do it, Lakitu!"

"All right, Yoshi!" Lakitu said, "Let's go!"

At the next race, Lakitu and Yoshi are now a perfect pair as referees.

"Ready, Yoshi?" Lakitu asked.

"Let's do it, partner!" Yoshi replied.

"Racers, start your engines!" they shouted.

Lakitu told Yoshi, "Now push the green button and let's start the countdown right now."

"OK, one countdown sequence, coming up!" Yoshi replied as he pushed the green button. The countdown begins.

"3..." Lakitu started.

"2..." Yoshi continued

"1..." Lakitu finished.

They shouted the word at the same time: "**_GO!_**"

And so thanks to Yoshi and Lakitu, the race is on as the perfect pair gave themselves a high five and shouted, "**_YES!_**"


	19. Mario's Start of the Race Poem

**The Start Of The Race Poem with Mario**

I'm at the starting line with my red go-kart.

With tires, a steering wheel, and an engine in part

This is my big day for me

And everyone is here to see

The racers are all lined up to take this big part

In just a few seconds, the race is about to start

I took a big deep breath and revved up my engine

This is for the big win

Lakitu appeared with his fishing pole

Now this race is a whole

The stage is set, the crowd is pumped

This racetrack has no speed bumps

And now comes the biggest part

It's time for this race to start

I watched him turn on the starting lights

And revved up my engine just right

The lights count down real slow

3...2...1...GO!

I took a chance and stepped on the gas

And everyone is gone as I pass.

The crowd cheered in the bright yellow sun.

The race has officially begun!


	20. Yoshi's Perfect Kart Race

**Yoshi's Perfect Kart Race**

It's a beautiful, warm, sunny day in Mario Circuit where Yoshi is at the starting line, preparing for today's go-kart race. A perfect day like this is a great way to have a beautiful go-kart race.

Then his friends Luigi, Wario, Daisy, Toad, Mario, Toadette and Waluigi came to the starting line for today's competition around the track. Yoshi finished his go-kart and said, "I call it the Yoshi Racer, this go-kart has a green shade of paint, comfortable seating, a Yoshi Egg logo on the front of the kart and a nice engine."

His friends love Yoshi's go-kart and clapped for his beautiful work.

Then Lakitu appeared from the clouds with his start signal on the pole and said, "Okay racers, today's race is going to be a nice one. Watch out for the Chain Chomp along the way as you drive around this circuit. Three laps for all of you and have fun out there."

So everyone got in their karts and started their engines. The sun is shining on this beautiful day with a few clouds in the sky.

Lakitu smiled to everyone and said, "All right everyone, 3 laps. Are you ready?"

They nodded yes and he pushed the button on the signal which starts the 3-second time limit to the start of the race.

Yoshi thought and said, _"This is it! Time to show this go-kart how it's done"_

_3..._

_2..._

_1..._

_GO!_

When the green light flashed, all of the racers flew out of the starting line, leaving Lakitu in a cloud of dust.

He smiled to Yoshi and said, "Have fun, Yoshi!"

The race began and Yoshi is doing an amazing job thanks to his rocket start. And so begins another perfect day for Yoshi.


	21. Yoshi's Big Race at Waluigi Stadium

**Yoshi's Big Race at Waluigi Stadium**

It's a beautiful day at Waluigi Stadium where everyone is getting ready for the big race and Yoshi is practicing his rocket start for today's race.

Waluigi Stadium is packed with fans, cheering and screaming all across the stadium and there's even an announcer!

"Good afternoon race fans, I'm so glad you've tuned in for today's race because it is a special race here at Waluigi Stadium where 12 racers compete for the big prize, the Banana Cup trophy!" the announcer said, "Checking in on the current scores we have Yoshi in 1st place with 45 points, followed by Funky Kong with 40, and Toadette with 34. Now, if Yoshi wins this race, he'll earn 15 more points which gives him 60 total points, the win and the trophy!"

The crowd cheered as everyone took their places at the starting line.

"So, before we get started, let's talk to Yoshi in our pre-race interview segment we called: 'Talking with the Racers'. So Yoshi, you have 45 points and the lead. What's in store for today's race?" the announcer asked, Yoshi smiled.

"Well announcer guy, it is a tough race for me and with my driving skills; I'll win this race for sure and I will receive this trophy when I cross the finish line!"

"Well, it looks like the crowd loves you and if you win this race, what is your favorite part about winning?"

Yoshi replied to him and said, "If I win, then I'll receive the trophy and a lot of cheering fans are here to cheer me on."

The announcer is amazed with the talk and asked Yoshi, "So, are you ready for the big race and the big win?"

"Yes, it will be an honor to compete in this final race and my go-kart is ready to go!" Yoshi replied as the crowd cheered.

"OK, thank you for talking with us today and good luck in the race!"

"I will and before I do, I want to tell all of the viewers at home about this final race. The racetrack begins at the starting line, then the racers must jump across the fire ring, next they must race across the dirt track and make a sharp left turn to the next fire ring. After that, the racers must do a few tricks at the ramp and finally, you cross the finish line and start lap 2. The first racer to cross the finish line wins!"

The announcer is amazed about Yoshi's description of the track as he got to the starting line.

"Well, I guess we'll go with that plan but… OK. Now, it's time to start this final race. Waluigi Stadium, are you ready?" the announcer asked.

The crowd cheered and replied, "YES!"

"Then, let's get this race started!"

Just then, Lakitu appeared and told the racers, "Is everyone ready?"

The racers nodded yes as they started their engines.

Lakitu pressed the button on the start signal and said, "On your marks,"

"Get set…"

The crowd grew silent as Yoshi shouted the 2 words, "Rocket…"

"…"

"_**GO!**_**"**

"…**Start!" **Yoshi stepped on the gas and the rocket start worked!

The race has begun and Yoshi is in the lead thanks to the rocket start he got earlier, feeling pumped.

"The rocket start by Yoshi puts him in the early lead as we begin lap 1 of the race" the announcer said, "Look at him go as he made a first trick on the ramp and he's got it, the Yoshi Whirlwind Spin made him increase his speed as he landed on the track!"

Then Yoshi got a Bob-omb and placed it behind the kart which made it explode on the other racers, sending them flying!

The race is heating up as Yoshi crossed the finish line and then Lakitu said, "Lap 2, lap 2!"

"Wow, race fans, Yoshi is doing a great job so far in this race" the announcer said, "And listen to the crowd, they are cheering him on as we are in lap 2 of 3, the midpoint of the race!"

As the race continues in the 2nd lap, Yoshi is in the lead, followed by Daisy, Toadette and more.

The crowd is cheering as Yoshi made another trick, "Yoshi Whirlwind Spin!"

The announcer is amazed as Yoshi made another Whirlwind Spin and said, "Amazing, this is one of the best races I've ever seen. Yoshi is holding the lead as he crossed the finish line again which means it's time for… the final lap!"

As the final lap begins, Bowser is racing on to Yoshi and said, "No 1st place for you, Yoshi!"

Yoshi kept racing on as he threw a blue shell at Bowser, sending him flying!

As Yoshi stopped for a second, he saw the finish line straight ahead and said, "The finish line, I'm almost there, I'm almost there!"

"This is it folks, the winner will soon be decided. It's Yoshi in the lead but here comes Toadette closing in and… oh! Toadette just got 1st place but here comes Yoshi, speeding up to the finish line. It's going to be close, who is the winner of the Banana Cup? We are about to find out right now."

Yoshi is so close to winning the cup as both racers crossed the finish line at the same time in a cloud of dust, seeing nothing.

The crowd gasped and waited for the smoke to clear.

Then… the smoke cleared, revealing that a dinosaur crossed the finish line. The announcer said, "Well, race fans, what more can I say. This has been one of the best races I've ever seen and in my life; I've seen that one dinosaur has officially crossed the finish line when the smoke came. So, that means the winner of this race, the 15 points, and the Banana Cup trophy is… YOSHI!"

The crowd erupted in big cheers as Yoshi won the Banana Cup.

"I won, I won, all right!" Yoshi cheered but the crowd cheered even louder as Lakitu came in with the trophy and said, "Congrats, Yoshi. You have won the Banana Cup!"

Yoshi is amazed as he is awarded with the cup and said, "Thank you for the award, Lakitu. I had a great time racing here and it was a blast. I can't wait to do it again!"

Back at Yoshi's Island, Yoshi is watching his race as he put the trophy in his room to remember the big win he had at the stadium.


	22. 20 Year Anniversary Poem

**For 20 years, the Mario Kart franchise is the most popular Mario spin-off series. Now, to celebrate this occasion, here's a poem.**

Mario Kart

A series of speed

With Mario and the crew

They got everything you need

Karts, items, and tracks

And everything is in store

Now entering its 20th year

It's time to race some more.

So if you're looking for a race

This is the series that is so true

Happy Anniversary Mario Kart, we love you!


	23. Dragon Puncher's Time Trial Run

**Dragon Puncher's Time Trial Run**

It's a beautiful day at Mario Circuit where I was preparing for my time trial run when suddenly, Mario came in. I said to him, "Hey Mario! What are you doing here at this racetrack?"

"I'm holding a Time Trial Challenge for today's race." Mario replied to me, "If anybody could finish the track within two minutes, that person will be racing this afternoon. So far, no one has completed my challenge but, maybe you could give it a try. Do you take on the challenge for a race this afternoon?"

"I'll go for it!" I said, "I'll take the challenge!"

Mario agreed and said, "Great! That means you're ready for the challenge! To the starting line!"

So, off we went to the track for my challenge.

When we got there, Mario said, "OK Dragon, here are the rules. You have two minutes to race around this track three times. That is three laps for you. If you could cross the finish line before the buzzer goes off, then you'll race against me this afternoon. So, are we clear on the rules?"

"All clear!" I agreed, "I'm all set and ready to roll."

Mario agreed with me and said, "Alright then. The clock won't start until I wave the green flag. Remember, finish the challenge, you'll race this afternoon. So, get in your kart and let's begin."

So I hopped in to the kart, turned on my engine, and Mario said, "Are you ready, Dragon Puncher?"

"All set!" I replied with a thumbs up.

"Then let the Mario Circuit Time Trial Challenge… _**BEGIN!**_" Mario announced as he waved the green flag, which gave a rocket start as I stepped down on the gas pedal.

As I drive around the course, I looked at the stopwatch. I smiled to myself as I crossed the line and said, "Yes! That is one lap down and two to go. Let's keep going!"

After I crossed the line again, Mario said, "Final Lap, Dragon! You have forty-five seconds left! Just one more lap and you'll qualify!"

When I got to the final stretch, I said, "The finish line! I'm almost there and look! The stopwatch shows the final twenty seconds. Let's try the Finish Line Final Boost! Here I… _**GO!**_"

As I stepped down on the gas pedal for the final boost, Mario said, "Ten seconds left! Hurry!"

When I get closer to the line, the clock shows the final five seconds. I closed my eyes and waited for the buzzer as Mario counts down, "3, 2, 1..."

When I got to the finish line, Mario waved the checkered flag as I crossed it when the stopwatch buzzer went off. Mario came to me and said, "Well, after that spectacular final boost at the finish line. I have made my decision. Dragon Puncher…"

I looked at him as I await Mario's word and then, the decision has been made…

"_**YOU DID IT!**_"

I ran to him and gave him a big hug as Mario said, "You're going to race this afternoon! You finished the challenge with that amazing boost. So, ready to see your official race time?"

"Yes!" I agreed, "What is my race time?"

Mario looked at the stopwatch and said, "Your total time is… one minute and fifty-nine point nine seconds! That means you won the challenge and this afternoon's race!"

"Thanks, Mario!" I said with a smile, "Shall we prepare ourselves for this afternoon?"

"_**LET"S DO IT!**_" Mario agreed as we prepare for the race.


	24. Dragon Puncher's Mario Kart 7 Race

**Dragon Puncher's Mario Kart 7 Race**

It all started at my home where I was playing my 3DS when suddenly, I saw a Mario Kart 7 game cartridge. I thought to myself and said, "Hey! That sounds like a great game for me to play. Let's try it!"

So I placed the cartridge and then, a portal came in. I ran for my life and then, I was sucked in to the portal.

When I came out of the portal, I landed in the garage with a perfect landing. I said, "Well, that was a fun ride and where am I?"

"You're in Mario Kart 7. I'm Lakitu and I'll be your referee for the entire game." Lakitu said to me.

"Pleasure to meet you, ref." I replied with a handshake, "The name's Dragon Puncher and I'm so glad to be here. So, what brings me here to this game?"

"You'll be racing in eight amazing tournaments and you'll be free to go back home if you win the game." Lakitu said to me, "Now then, which Cup do you want to try first in this game?"

"I'll start with... THE LEAF CUP!" I announced to him.

"Nice! That is a great cup for you to try and the tracks that you'll be racing in this cup are Kalimari Desert, DK Pass, Daisy Cruiser and Maple Treeway. Now, all you need is a perfect kart and you're ready to go. Ready to make your kart?" Lakitu asked me with a smile.

"Of course!" I replied, "I can't race without my perfect kart and after all, I need a good one so, let's make one!"

"Great! To the karts!" Lakitu said as we walked to the karts.

When we got there, Lakitu said, "Well, here we are Dragon. This is where we make the best karts. Now, the race is starting soon so you'll have to make your perfect kart and remember, you need a good combination. Well, start making your kart!"

I smiled to him as I picked the right combination: A B Dasher with Standard Wheels and a Beast Glider. I said, "All done Lakitu! I have my combination: B Dasher, Standard Wheels and a Beast Glider. Now, I'm ready for my first official race!"

"Wow! That is a perfect kart combination you made and I love it!" Lakitu replied, "Alright then. It looks like you're all set to go. So Dragon Puncher, are you ready to begin the Leaf Cup tournament?"

"Of course I'm all set!" I said as I entered my kart, "Now, where is the first race being held again?"

"Kalimari Desert." Lakitu said, "And remember, this is your first official race so have fun and enjoy the game. Alright Dragon Puncher, are you ready to race?"

"YES!" I said with a big smile as the garage doors open up all the way.

Then Lakitu came to me and said, "Dragon Puncher, go to Kalimari Desert!"

And then, I stepped on the gas pedal and I went out of the garage as I drive all the way to my first race in the Leaf Cup, Kalimari Desert.

When I got there, I saw the track up close. I said, "Well, this must be the place. Kalimari Desert from Mario Kart 64 and there's the starting line! Alright, now where do I have to go? Oh yeah, there are eight slots so let's see which position do I have to start the race in."

Then I spotted the last slot on the grid and I said, "Slot number eight so, I'll start in eighth place. To the eighth slot."

Then I took my position in eighth place as I saw my competition. They are Luigi, Yoshi, Metal Mario, Daisy, Peach, Shy Guy and Wiggler from seventh to first respectively.

As I gaze upon this new track, I can see the train circling around the track. It was an amazing site for me to see as I buckled up my seatbelt.

And then, everything is all set. My first race of the game is starting now as Lakitu came in with the traffic light to signal the start of the race.

I took one final deep breath, gripped the steering wheel tight and revved up my engine. And then, the timer started.

3...

2...

1...

**_GO!_**

"Rocket Start!" I said as I stepped on the gas pedal and then, the B Dasher took off with a lot of speed, giving me first place! And so begins my first official race.


	25. Special Mario Kart Wii Time Trial

**Dragon Puncher's Special Mario Kart Wii Time Trial**

It's been five years since the Mario Kart Wii competition takes place at Luigi Circuit and today is a very special day. Today is the fifth anniversary of the Mario Kart Wii competition and the crowd is cheering for this special occasion. Then Lakitu said, "Hello, Luigi Circuit! Welcome to a very special day here as we present to you today's race. That's right, it is time for a special Mario Kart Wii 5th Anniversary Time Trial!"

As Lakitu heard this, the crowd cheered very loudly. Then he said, "That's right! It's been five years since we started this competition and today, we are going to have a very special Time Trial to honor this amazing anniversary! Now, which racer is going to tackle this track first? We're about to find out, right now! Our first racer of the day is a veteran who loves to race and he's been with us for five years. Ladies and gentlemen, here comes the Fire Breath Punisher driving on the Standard Kart M... _**DRAGON PUNCHER!**_"

And then, I came to the track with the crowd cheering as I drive my way to the starting line. Then Lakitu came to me and said, "Welcome to the race, Dragon!"

"Thank you for having me, Lakitu!" I replied, "It's an honor to be here on this special day because it is Mario Kart Wii's 5th year and I just want to say congratulations to everyone who made this competition the best one in the Mushroom Kingdom!"

As I heard this, the crowd cheered very loudly. Then Lakitu hugged me with a smile and said, "Thank you, Dragon! You made us very happy on this special day and I love that speech! Well, shall we proceed with the rules?"

"Yes, please!" I replied.

"Alright, Dragon. Here's how the Mario Kart Wii 5th Anniversary Time Trial works. I'm giving you three laps around this track and the object is to get the best time possible. Now to make it more exciting for this anniversary, I'm going to give you 90 seconds to finish. If you could do that before time runs out, then you will win a spot in the upcoming race!" Lakitu said to me as I was amazed with the rules.

The crowd heard it and cheered as well. Then Lakitu said, "So Dragon Puncher, are you ready to tackle the challenge?"

"As I'll ever be, Lakitu!" I replied with a thumbs up.

"Alright then! Dragon Puncher... **_START YOUR ENGINES!_**"

Then I turned on the engine on my kart and prepared for the race. Then, Lakitu came in with the starting lights hanging on the pole and said, "Alright Dragon Puncher, this is it! The race is about to start. Now then, anything you would like to say before I start the countdown?"

"Yes, I do." I replied, "I love counting down to the start of the race and it is the most important part of Mario Kart Wii. You always do that during those five years and we all love it so much. Now Lakitu... _**START THE RACE!**_"

Lakitu heard those words and said with a smile, "Is that true, Dragon? You're giving me the honor of starting the countdown?"

"Yes." I agreed, "We can't start the race without you and your famous phrase. Well Lakitu, it's all yours. Start the countdown, buddy!"

Lakitu agreed with me and said, "Alright then, here we go!"

Then, Lakitu pushed the button on the signal light and then, the first red light came on. It's time to race.

"3..."

I held my breath as the next red light came up.

"2..."

The crowd grew very silent as the final red light appeared.

"1..."

I took one final deep breath, placed my foot on the gas pedal and then...

The light turned green...

"**_GO!_**"

With the word shouted, I took off with a strong boost of speed as the kart sped out of the starting line, giving me the rocket start. The race has begun.

I started my run by going left to the first turn, then I kept on going as I moved to the second turn and then, I kept going straight to the final curve, giving me more speed as I get closer to the finish line, finishing the first lap with ease as I cross it with the crowd cheering.

Lakitu smiled and said, "Lap two, Dragon! You're doing great!"

Then I did the same thing again in lap two as I cross the finish line once more, which starts the all important part of the race.

Lakitu held up the Final Lap sign and said to me, "Only one more lap to go, Dragon! **_FINAL LAP!_**"

Then I breezed through the final lap and then, I saw the timer reaching the final five seconds. Everyone saw the timer and began counting down, "5, 4..."

I made one final turn and went to the finish line as the timer ticked down the final seconds...

"3, 2, 1..."

And then, I crossed the finish line as Lakitu waved the checkered flag. He said, "**_FINISH!_**"

The crowd cheered for me as Lakitu came in with the official results. He looked at me and said, "Well done, Dragon! You have raced very well during those three laps and now, I have your total time for this run. So, are you ready for the results?"

"**_YES!_**" I said with a smile.

"Alright then, here we go! Dragon Puncher, your total time is..."

As I await the final score, the crowd grew silent. Lakitu looked at the timer and then, the official time is revealed to me...

"1:29.889! That means... **_YOU WIN!_**"

As I heard those words, the crowd cheered very loudly as confetti fell on the track! I ran to Lakitu and gave him a hug.

"Congratulations, Dragon Puncher! You're the first racer who is going to compete in the upcoming race!" Lakitu said to me, "Nicely done, Dragon! You finished the race with 0.111 to spare! How do you feel right now, Dragon?"

"I feel like a true racer thanks to my victory!" I replied to Lakitu as the crowd cheered.

Then I said to the readers, "Happy 5th Anniversary, Mario Kart Wii! Keep on racing for five more years!"


	26. Anniversary Poem: Mario Kart Wii

**Anniversary Poem: Mario Kart Wii**

_There is one game that has it all_

_A game featuring Mario and the crew_

_One game that is all you need_

_It's been here for five years_

_Racing to the finish line in a bike or kart_

_With many courses and battle zones_

_From Luigi Circuit to Rainbow Road_

_Twelve racers can compete in each one_

_There is only one racing game for you and me_

_It's time to race in Mario Kart Wii_

**A/N: Happy 5th Anniversary, Mario Kart Wii**


	27. Referee Appearance: Battle of the Koopas

**Dragon's Mario Kart Referee Appearance: Battle of the Koopas**

Mario Kart, the Mushroom Kingdom's most popular sport. Racing, excitement, the cheers of the crowd and the honor of being crowned the grand champion makes this sport the best one ever.

Today is a very special day for me because I'm going to be a referee for the final race of the tournament at Waluigi Stadium. The crowd started to cheer as the race is about to begin. I took out the microphone and said, "Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the final race of the Mario Kart Grand Prix! Today is a very special day here at Waluigi Stadium because this race will determine which one of the two Koopas will go home as a Grand Champion. So, I present to you today's race... **_KOOPA KING VS. KOOPA KID!_**"

As I heard this announcement, the crowd cheered even louder. Then I said, "That's right, folks. One of these two Koopas will walk away as a Grand Champion and now, let's meet them! Please welcome to the racetrack, Bowser and Bowser Jr.!"

Just then, Bowser and Jr. came in to the track with their go-karts as the crowd cheered. They are about to race for the championship as the duo made it to the starting line.

I came to them and said, "There they are, folks. These two racers will now go head to head in one spectacular race to the finish! One of them will go home as a champion so, who will it be? Well, let's find out right now! Koopas... **_START YOUR ENGINES!_**"

As I heard those words, the engines turn on as the crowd cheered very loudly for this final race. I came to them with the signal light and said, "Well guys, this is it. In just three laps, one of you is about to win the trophy so, is there anything you would like to say before we begin?"

"I have something to say." Bowser replied, "I love my son and I love Mario Kart racing. No matter what happens today, we are both winners and that is why we love this competition, right son?"

"That's right, dad." Bowser Jr. said, "We love to compete against each other and one of us will go home as a champion so, let's have a great race."

"Same to you, son and may the best Koopa win." Bowser agreed as they shake hands for good sportsmanship.

"Wow! They are shaking hands before the green light. Now that is good sportsmanship, ladies and gentlemen!" I said to the crowd, "Well, it is time at last. The final race begins right here, right now. Are you ready, guys?"

"Ready!" Bowser and Jr. replied.

"Alright then, the race begins when you see the green light and remember, you have three laps. Now, I want everyone in the stadium to help me count down to the official start of the final race and I want it as loud as you can. Alright everyone, here we go!"

Then I turned on the signal lights and it started to flash red. It is time to race.

"3, 2, 1..." Everyone said as the red lights came on, ready to change to green at any moment.

Both Koopas waited for the light to change from red to green and then...

It's go time!

"_**GO!**_"

With the word shouted, the green light went off and both karts sped out off the starting line, signaling the start of the final race. It is going to be a battle of the Koopas as I said, "And here we go! The final race has begun and both racers are out of the gate at the same time with a rocket start. This is going to be a fantastic race!"

Much later, the race is about to end as I said, "This is it, folks! The winner is about to be decided as Bowser and Jr. are neck and neck at the final stretch. Who will win the race and the trophy? We're about to find out right now because we have a..."

As the karts approach the finish line, I held the checkered flag steady. I saw the karts coming to the line and then...

I waved it as both karts cross the finish line. It is a photo finish as I said, "_**PHOTO FINISH!**_"

Just then, Bowser and Jr. came out of the karts and Bowser said, "Great race, son."

"Thanks, dad." Jr. replied as they hug each other for a great race.

I came to them with the photo and said, "Well guys, congratulations on a great race. But, there can only be one winner and I have the photo finish that will decide it all. So, the winner of the Mario Kart Grand Prix is..."

I looked at the photo finish and then, I made the announcement.

**_"BOWSER AND BOWSER JR. IT'S A TIE!_**"

As I revealed the photo to the crowd, it shows that both karts cross the finish line at the same time. The crowd erupted in big cheers as Bowser and Jr. hugged each other for a tie race.

Then I gave the trophy to Bowser and said, "You both deserved it for a tie race!"

"Thanks, Dragon!" Bowser replied as he hugged me for being a referee. Jr. came to us as I raised their hands for a tie race.


	28. The Battle of the Mario Brothers

**Race On! The Battle of the Mario Brothers**

It's a beautiful afternoon at Mario Circuit as the crowd cheered for this amazing day. Today is the big exhibition race between the Mario Brothers as Lakitu said, "Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome to Mario Kart and today's exhibition race coming to you live from Mario Circuit! We have a real treat for you this afternoon as these two brothers go head-to-head in a race to the finish. So buckle up your seat belts and get ready for some brotherly love because it's time for... _**THE BATTLE OF THE MARIO BROS.!**_"

As Lakitu heard this, the crowd erupted in cheers. Lakitu then said, "Alright then, let's meet them shall we? They are the protectors of the Mushroom Kingdom and they always fight Bowser and his minions. They love to race all across the track and they are great athletes. Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the dynamic duo... **_THE MARIO BROTHERS!_**"

Just then, two karts came in to the starting line as Mario and Luigi entered the racing course in their red and green go-karts as the crowd cheered for them.

When they got to the starting line, the crowd cheered again as Mario and Luigi wave to the crowd. Then Lakitu said, "There they are, ladies and gentlemen! The protectors of the Mushroom Kingdom are here and ready to race. Great to see you again, guys."

"Thank you for having us, Lakitu." Mario replied.

"So, you been racing since the very first tournament and now, you made it once again. How does it feel to be racing together as brothers?" Lakitu asked Luigi with a smile.

"Well Lakitu, we love racing together because we share the same thing with each other." Luigi said, "Whether is saving Peach from the clutches of Bowser or fighting at the Glitz Pit against Rawk Hawk, we are always together no matter what happens. Right bro?"

"That's right, Luigi." Mario replied, "We are the Mario Brothers and we love to compete in various competitions including kart racing, tennis, basketball and more. We will always protect the Mushroom Kingdom whenever evil strikes. That is why we are a great team and we are brothers together forever."

As Mario heard those words, the crowd cheered as Mario and Luigi hug each other. Then Lakitu came to them and said, "Wow! Now that's what I like to call brotherly love! Well then, are you both ready to race?"

"Let's a-go!" Mario and Luigi replied at the same time.

"Alright then! Brothers... **_START YOUR ENGINES!_**"

With the words shouted, the engines turn on as the crowd cheered along with it. The race is about to begin as both brothers shook their hands. Then Mario said, "May the best brother win?"

"May the best brother win!" Luigi agreed as they entered their karts, waiting for the race to begin.

Lakitu came in with the starting signal on the fishing pole and said, "Well guys, here we are. The countdown is about to begin and before we do that, is there anything you would like to say to our viewing audience?"

Mario smiled and said, "Yes, I would like to tell you that we will be having a brand new Mario Kart 8 tournament next year!"

As Mario heard this, the crowd erupted in big cheers. Then Luigi said, "That's right, bro! We will have brand new races and all new surprises waiting in store for you and for the first time ever, we will have anti-gravity racing! So, be here when we start our eighth Mario Kart tournament!"

"That's right, Luigi and it all starts this Spring 2014 for the Wii U gaming system! Don't miss it!" Mario added as the crowd cheered once again.

Lakitu agreed with them and said, "Wow, that is one huge announcement that you guys made and the crowd loved it! Well then, now that everything is out of the way, shall we proceed with the race?"

"Yes, please!" Luigi said to him.

"Then let's get down to the rules, shall we? Three laps for the both of you and there are no items in this race so, just cross the finish line to win. OK?" Lakitu asked them.

"OK!" Mario and Luigi agreed.

Lakitu smiled at them and said, "Alright then, you may begin racing on the green light and remember, have fun! And now ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for! It is officially time to start the race. Are you ready for the battle of the Mario Bros.?"

The crowd agreed as they cheered very loudly. Then Lakitu said, "Then without further ado, let the countdown... _**BEGIN!**_"

And then, Lakitu pressed the button the signal, which starts the light mechanism. The crowd grew silent as the first red light came on.

"3..."

Mario held on to the steering wheel as the second red light flashed.

"2..."

Luigi looked at the road as the third and final light flashed red on the signal.

"1..."

Both brothers placed their foot on the gas pedal, took one final deep breath and then...

The green light went off. It's go time as Lakitu and the crowd shouted the final word as one...

"_**GO!**_"

And then, the race has begun as Mario and Luigi took off at the same time. Lakitu saw it all and said, "And away they go as both brothers start the race off with a rocket start! This is going to be a great race, folks!"

The race went nice and smooth as both brothers handle every corner of the track and then, it is the third and final lap as Lakitu held up the Final Lap sign. He said, "This is it, ladies and gentlemen! The final lap of the race! Which brother will win? We'll find out shortly!"

As Mario and Luigi race to the finish line, they saw the crowd cheering. It was a fantastic race for them as both brothers cross the finish line, signaling the end of the race.

Lakitu waved the checkered flag and said, "It's a photo finish, folks! What a race!"

Just then, Mario and Luigi came out of the karts and Luigi said, "Great race, bro. You're one fast driver."

"Same to you, Luigi." Mario added as they shake their hands for good sportsmanship.

Lakitu came to them with the photo and said, "Attention, ladies and gentlemen! After reviewing this photo, I have made the announcement! So, we have a..."

The crowd grew very silent as Lakitu looked at the photo. Mario and Luigi held their breath and then...

The results are in...

"**_TIE!_**"

As Lakitu heard the word, Mario and Luigi hugged each other. The battle of the brothers ends in a tie and the crowd cheered for their amazing performance. They are truly the Mario Brothers and they love to race very much.


	29. Mario's Summertime Time Trial

**Mario's Summertime Time Trial**

It's summer time in the Mushroom Kingdom and Mario is having a peaceful afternoon at Peach Beach when suddenly, he came up with a great idea. Mario smiled and said, "I know, I'll just race around the track. After all, I'm a kart racer and it is summertime so, let's have a Mario Kart time trial! To the Wild Wing!"

So Mario hopped in to his red Wild Wing kart and said, "OK, now let's get this run started. Mushrooms, check. Engines, check. Three laps, check. Well, that's everything and now for the final step, starting the countdown."

Then he turned on the engines and waited for the countdown to start but, Lakitu is not here. Mario said, "Huh, why is Lakitu not here? I know, I'll call him and see if he can start the race."

So Mario called Lakitu on the phone and he said, "Hey there, it's me Lakitu. I'm not here at the moment because I'm on vacation at Koopa Troopa Beach. Please leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you. Later."

Then his phone beeped as Mario said, "Well, this is not good. Lakitu is on vacation and I don't have an application that will give me anything to start the race, or do I?"

Then he checked his MPad for an application to start the race and then, he found it. Mario smiled and said, "There we go! Good thing I have the Mario Kart application just in case Lakitu is not around. Now I can start the race! Well, let's do it. Mario Kart... _**OPEN!**_"

Then Mario opened the app and it said, "Welcome to the Mario Kart App. Please enter your name to continue."

Mario agreed as he entered his name. Then the app said, "You have entered Mario. Now, which mode are you doing today?"

Then he tapped on the clock and the app said, "Time Trial it is, then. Which course are you going to race on in this run?"

Mario tapped on Peach Beach and then, the app said, "Peach Beach from Double Dash. Great choice. Now, you're all set. To begin the time trial, tap 'Start Race'. This starts the countdown. Do you want to start the race now?"

"**_YES!_**" Mario said as he tapped on Start Race. Then the app said, "OK! The time trial begins when the light turns green. Good luck."

Then, the countdown began as Mario revved up his engine on the Wild Wing and then, the green light went off, signaling the start of the race. Mario stepped on the gas and he took off.

After a nice run, Mario crossed the finish line. The app said, "Great race, Mario. You have a total race time of 1:30.000. Do you want to go again?"

"Yes, please." Mario said as he tapped on the Start Race button again. Then Mario smiled and said, "Well, I guess that is one good way to spend my summertime and that is Mario Kart racing!"

Then Mario took off once again as the race began once more. It was a fantastic summer day for Mario.


	30. 21st Anniversary Special: Rivalry Race

**21st Anniversary Special: Rivalry Race**

It's a beautiful day for a race at Waluigi Stadium as the crowd cheered for this very special occasion. Today is Mario Kart's 21st Birthday and everyone is gearing up for this big day.

Just then, Lakitu came in and said, "Good afternoon everyone and welcome to a very special edition of Mario Kart!"

As Lakitu heard those words, the crowd roared with excitement. Then he said, "Today is a very special day here at Waluigi Stadium because for 21 years, this series became the most popular sport in the Mushroom Kingdom and today, we're going to celebrate our anniversary with a very special race just for you. So, are you ready for today's special race?"

"YEAH!" The crowd agreed as they cheered.

"Then let's welcome our two racers for this special race, Mario and Bowser!"

Just then, Mario and Bowser came in to the racetrack with the crowd cheering for these two racers. Then they came to the starting line with their karts and Lakitu said, "Welcome to the race, guys."

"Thank you for having us, Lakitu. It's an honor to have us in this birthday special." Mario replied, "We've been racing for 21 years now."

"Yeah, we are professional racers since we first started this competition." Bowser added, "We do love Mario Kart."

Lakitu agreed with him and said, "That is what I like to hear about. Well, are you ready to race in our very special anniversary?"

"Let's do it, Lakitu!" Mario and Bowser replied at the same time.

"Alright then! Racers... _**TO YOUR KARTS!**_" Lakitu announced as Mario and Luigi entered their karts. Then they shook their hands for good sportsmanship as they await the signal to start this special race.

Lakitu came to them with the signal lights and said, "Well guys, this is it. The special race is just moments away and before we start the countdown, I think we would like to share some moments with you during those 21 years. Is that okay with you, guys?"

"Yeah, I do have one. My favorite moment is everything!" Mario replied to him, "I do love this competition and everyone is enjoying it so, if you're looking for a race, then get in your kart and enjoy some Mario Kart racing!"

The crowd cheered for Mario as Lakitu said, "That is a great moment, Mario. Bowser, what is your favorite moment?"

"My castle courses. Every Mario Kart game needs a castle course and I made it so anyone can enter my castle. Don't fall in the lava!" Bowser replied with a smile. Then he said, "Lakitu, what about you?"

"My favorite moment during these 21 years is announcing every race! I love starting the countdown with my signal lights and when they fall off course, I will always catch them with my fishing pole." Lakitu said, "I love being a referee and it is always my favorite thing in Mario Kart racing."

When Lakitu was done, the crowd cheered for him. Then he said, "Well then, now that we shared our favorite moments during these 21 years, shall we proceed with the race?"

"Yes!" Mario replied with a smile.

"Then let's get this race started, shall we? As always, we'll give you three laps around this course and the first person to cross the finish line is the winner. Now, since this is a very special race, I have decided to give you the first surprise and that is... _**21 LAPS!**_"

As Lakitu heard this announcement, Mario and Bowser was pleased with his first surprise. Then Lakitu said, "That's right, guys. 21 laps of Mario Kart racing. Do you like it so far?"

"Of course, Lakitu!" Mario replied, "I love a long race!"

"That is what I like to hear about, Mario." Lakitu agreed, "And I got another surprise for you because for this special anniversary, we are extending the countdown to the start of the race!"

As Lakitu heard his second surprise, the crowd cheered once again. Then he said, "That's right, guys. We're going to give you 21 seconds until the green light goes off and the best part, there will be no items!"

Mario and Bowser were pleased with these rules as the crowd cheered. Then Lakitu said, "Alright Mario and Bowser, this is it! Are you ready for a very special Mario Kart race?"

"We're ready, Lakitu! Let's do it!" Mario and Bowser replied at the same time.

"Very well, then. Let's set the signal timer to 21 seconds!" Lakitu said.

Then he pressed the yellow button on the signal to set the timer to 21 seconds and then, he pressed the button again. The race is now ready to begin.

Lakitu smiled to the crowd and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment we've been waiting for! In just 21 seconds, the race will officially begin. So, without further ado, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the countdown to the race starts right... **_NOW!_**"

And then, he pressed the green button on the signal, which starts the timer. The crowd grew silent as the timer starts counting down from 21.

Mario held his breath as the signal shows 15 seconds. Bowser looked at the timer as well as both drivers placed their hands on the steering wheel.

"10 seconds! 9, 8, 7, 6..." Lakitu counted.

The crowd grew silent as the timer now shows the final five seconds.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." Lakitu said as both drivers await the green light.

Everyone grew very silent as they await the final word from Lakitu to start the race and then...

It's time...

"**_GO!_**"

With the word shouted, the light turned green and both drivers hit the gas at the same time. The race has officially begun as Mario and Bowser left the starting line with a rocket start as the crowd cheered. Lakitu saw it all and said, "And away they go! The special anniversary race has officially begun thanks to a rocket start done by Mario and Bowser. This is going to be a very long race, folks!"

And so begins a very special race for Mario and Bowser.


	31. Double Dash! 10th Anniversary Special

**Double Dash! 10th Anniversary Special: Yoshi and Birdo's Double Dash!**

It's a beautiful day for a race in Yoshi Circuit as Yoshi and Birdo teamed up for the big race and today, they're about to perform the biggest racing technique… the Double Dash!

"I can't wait for the Double Dash technique to be activated," Yoshi said, "It's my favorite technique in the game."

Birdo replied, "It sure is partner and with the Turbo Yoshi by our side, we can perform the new technique."

As they are preparing for the big race, Lakitu came in and said to the racers, "Attention all racers, the race starts in 2 minutes so everyone, finish preparing and meet me at the starting line."

Yoshi is making some final adjustments on the Turbo Yoshi with some green paint while Birdo is making some adjustments on the wheels and the engines.

"One minute!" Lakitu said.

"Well, our go-kart is finished and we're ready to go, Birdo." Yoshi said

Birdo replied to him and said, "Yes Yoshi, we are ready to go but, who will be the Driver and who will be the Thrower?"

"Attention racers, the race is about to begin, everyone to the starting line for the start of the race!" Lakitu said, "Pick your Driver and your Thrower and get to the starting line."

Yoshi decided and said, "I'll drive and you throw, is that OK, partner?"

Birdo replied and said to him, "OK, let's go do the Double Dash!"

They got to the starting line and Lakitu came in with the start signal and said, "Racers... start your engines!"

The sun was shining all across the circuit as everyone started their engines and waited for the green light to turn on for the start of the race. Yoshi said to Birdo, "Is the Double Dash ready?"

Birdo replied to him and said, "The Double Dash gauge is at 100%, Yoshi. The Double Dash is set!"

"Is everyone ready to race to the finish line?" Lakitu asked everyone.

"Yes!" they all shouted.

"Then on your marks…"

Yoshi set the Double Dash to activate.

"Get set…"

Birdo looked all across the road for a second, waiting for the Double Dash to be activated. Yoshi said "Ready for the Double Dash!, partner?"

Birdo replied to him, "Yes, now step on the gas and let's say it together!"

Then, the green light flashed and Lakitu said the one word that officially started the race…

"_**GO!**_"

They both shouted at the same time, "Double… **_DASH!_**"

Yoshi stepped on the gas and Birdo gripped the handle, which let the kart spit out blue flames from the engine. The Double Dash worked and off they went to race to the finish line!


	32. Neo Bowser City Poem

**Mario Kart 7 2nd Anniversary Special: Neo Bowser City Poem**

In Neo Bowser City

You'll race in the rain

All you need is three laps

You'll never complain

There's a blimp and some billboards

Which shows all of the ads

Including Bowser, Bullet Bill

And the race itself, how rad

So come on over

And enjoy the race

Because Neo Bowser City is the place.


	33. Mario Circuit Rivalry: Mario vs Bowser

**Mario Circuit Rivalry: Mario vs. Bowser**

It's a beautiful day at the Mushroom Kingdom and everyone is so pleased about this fantastic Mario Kart race they're going to have today. It is Mario versus Bowser at Mario Circuit and the crowd is cheering for this amazing matchup.

Just then, Lakitu came in and said, "Good afternoon race fans! Today, we have a real treat for you as Mario Kart proudly presents the battle of good versus evil! Now, let's meet the racers! First up, we have the Mushroom Kingdom's most famous warrior! Driving on the Standard Kart M, please welcome Mario!"

Just then, Mario came in to the track with his red kart and the crowd loves him! He is the best racer in the tournament as the plumber made his way to the starting line.

"And his opponent for today's race is the King of all Koopas. He loves to breathe fire on his minions and he loves to play sports. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the Koopa King on the Flame Flyer, Bowser!" Lakitu announced as Bowser came in with the crowd cheering.

Bowser loved his fans as he made his way to the starting line on his Flame Flyer.

When everyone was done cheering, Lakitu said, "Alright! Now that we met our two racers, let's take a look at the track. This track is an oval and it even has some Goombas wandering around and as you make your way to the castle, you'll see some friendly Toads. The first racer to cross the finish line after all three laps, wins the race and to make it even fair, there will be no items!"

Everyone was pleased about the rules of the race, even Mario and Bowser.

Then, Lakitu took out the signal lights and said, "Well, now that everything is all set, it's time to get this race started so Mario and Bowser... _**START YOUR ENGINES!**_"

With the words shouted, both engines turned on as the crowd cheered for them. This is it. The race is about to start.

Lakitu looked at the duo and said, "Now then, is there anything you would like to say before I start the countdown?"

Mario replied to him and said, "Of course I have something to say. I think that this race is going to be awesome and we are pleased with this. Even the crowd loves Mario Kart racing because they are always here to watch us race against each other. That is why Mario Kart is the best sport in the Mushroom Kingdom!"

As Mario heard this, the crowd cheered even louder! Even Lakitu was impressed as he said, "That is what I like to hear about, Mario. This is the best sport in the entire kingdom and with that, it is officially time to start the race so, are you ready guys?"

"Ready!" Mario and Bowser replied as they turn their attention to the starting lights.

"Then I shall commence the countdown... _**NOW!**_" Lakitu said as the light starts to flash red.

Everyone grew silent as they await the green light as Lakitu counts down, "3, 2, 1..."

And then, the light changes from red to green as Lakitu said the word to start the race...

"_**GO!**_"

With the word shouted, both karts sped out of the starting line, leaving a trail of smoke. Lakitu coughed it out and said, "Wow, a rocket start! Now that is something to please about in Mario Kart racing."


	34. The Koopalings' First Race

**The Koopalings' First Mario Kart Race**

It's a beautiful day at Mario Circuit where today marks a very special day. Today, the Koopalings are going to race each other for the first time in a Mario Kart race. Everyone in the track is here to see these seven racers as Lakitu came in. He said, "Good afternoon, race fans! Today is a very special day here as Mario Kart proudly presents a special race between seven of Bowser's minions. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... _**THE KOOPALING EXHIBITION RACE!**_"

As Lakitu heard these words, the crowd roared with excitement. Then he said, "That's right ladies and gentlemen, these seven racers will go head to head in a special three-lap exhibition against each other. So, shall we meet them right now?"

"_**YEAH!**_" The crowd agreed.

Lakitu agreed with them and said, "Then without further ado, it's time to meet the seven new racers! Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the track Larry, Wendy, Morton Jr., Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig! Here comes... _**THE KOOPALINGS!**_"

Just then, seven go-karts came in to the track as the Koopalings made its way to the starting line for the first time. The crowd cheered for them as they received a standing ovation for their first appearance. Then Lakitu came to them and said, "Welcome to Mario Kart, guys!"

"Thank you, Lakitu!" The Koopalings replied at the same time.

"So Larry, this is your first time being here. Are you excited for this?" Lakitu asked Larry.

"Of course, Lakitu. This is going to be a great competition and we love it!" Larry replied with a smile.

"I see. Now, if you could name one course in the series, what could it be?" Lakitu asked them, "Larry, you go first."

"I would say Rainbow Road." Larry replied.

"I'll say Coconut Mall." Wendy added, "I love shopping."

"Mario Circuit." Morton added.

"Bowser's Castle is my course." Roy said, "I love racing with my dad."

"Waluigi Stadium" Iggy said.

"Airship Fortress" Ludwig said, "I love racing on an airship."

"I would say Luigi Circuit." Lemmy finished.

Lakitu agreed with these choices and said, "Wow, those are great choices and I like them, too. Well guys, are you ready for your first official Mario Kart race?"

"We're ready!" The Koopalings replied.

"Great! Now to decide the starting grid for this race, we're going to spin this wheel five times. Each one of these seven wedges holds a position from first through seventh." Lakitu said, "So, if the wheel stops on a gold wedge, then you'll start in first place. Well then, who would like to go first?"

"That would be me, Lakitu!" Roy said, "I'll give this wheel a whirl."

"Alright then! Go ahead, Roy."

Roy spun the wheel and then, it stopped on the number 5. Lakitu said, "You'll start in fifth place, Roy. Nice choice."

Roy agreed as he entered his purple kart and started to drive to the fifth slot. Then Lakitu said, "OK Iggy, your turn. Step on up and spin the wheel."

Iggy agreed as he spun the wheel and then, it stopped on the bronze wedge. Lakitu smiled and said, "The bronze wedge, Iggy! That's third place for you! Get in your yellowish-green kart and head on over!"

Iggy smiled as he drives his way to the third slot. Then Lakitu said, "Only five slots left until the race starts so, who is spinning next?"

"I'll do it, Mr. Lakitu! I love spinning the wheel." Wendy replied as she spins the wheel.

Just then, the wheel stops on the number 4. She smiled to herself and said, "Yay! Fourth place! I'm off to my pink go-kart to fill my slot!"

Then Wendy drives on over to the fourth slot as she entered her pink kart.

"Alright then, there are four spots left so, any more takers?" Lakitu asked them.

"That will be me, Lakitu!' Morton replied, "One spin of this wheel will decide my starting position."

And so he did and after a few seconds, the wheel stops on the silver wedge. Morton smiled and said, "Second place? I'll take it!"

And so Morton entered his black go-kart and began driving to the second slot.

Lakitu looked at the three remaining Koopalings and said, "OK, so that leaves Lemmy, Larry, and Ludwig! There are three spots left and we still have the pole position available for one of you. Now, who's next?"

"I'll do it, Lakitu." Ludwig replied as he stepped up to the wheel. Then he said, "Let's see, there's the gold wedge, number six and number seven. Which one should I take? I know, I'll spin the wheel and find out! Ludwig, you're a genius!"

Then Ludwig spun the wheel and then, it stopped on the number six. He said, "OK, position number six for me! That means I'll start behind Roy! Well, let's drive!"

Then he hopped in to his blue kart and began driving towards the sixth slot. Now only two spots remain and one of them could be starting in the pole position. Lakitu came to Lemmy and Larry and said, "Well Larry and Lemmy, it all comes down to this! There are now two spots left and that means either one of you could start the race in first place, or in last. So to decide that, we're going to flip the coin. The winner of the toss will claim the pole position. Larry and Lemmy, are you ready for this?"

"Let's go!" They replied as Lakitu took out the coin.

He smiled to them and said, "OK Larry, call it!"

"Heads!" Larry replied as Lakitu tossed the coin in the air and then, he covered it in his hand.

Lakitu came to them and said, "OK guys, this is it. Let's find out who is claiming the pole position. The result of the coin toss is..."

Both Larry and Lemmy held their breath and waited for the results.

And then, the coin shows a head. Lakitu smiled at the results and said, "It is heads! That means the pole position goes to Larry Koopa! Nice choice, Larry!"

"Thanks, Lakitu!" Larry replied as he entered his sky blue go-kart, which drives him to first place.

Then Lakitu came to Lemmy and said, "Well Lemmy, that means you have to start the race in last place and you know what, that also means that the starting grid is now full! So, shall we go to the starting line Lemmy?"

"Yes! Let's race!" Lemmy replied with a smile as he entered his orange go-kart. Lakitu followed him to the line and then, the race is now ready to begin.

Then Lakitu said, "Ladies and gentlemen! The starting grid for today's race! In position #1, Larry Koopa!"

The crowd cheered as Lakitu said, "Next, we have Morton Koopa Jr.! Then, we have Iggy Koopa in position #3! Continuing on, we have the lovely Wendy O. Koopa!"

Then Lakitu came to the second row and said, "Starting the race in position #5 is Roy Koopa! After that, we have Ludwig von Koopa and finally, Lemmy Koopa!"

When Lakitu was done introducing the racers, the crowd roared with excitement. Then he said, "Now that we have our seven racers in the starting grid, it is time to get this race started! So guys, are you ready?"

"Ready, Lakitu!" The Koopalings replied at the same time.

"Alright then, here we go! Koopalings... _**START YOUR ENGINES!**_" Lakitu announced to them as the engines turned on. It is now time to race.

The crowd cheered as well as the Koopalings are just seconds away from starting the race.

Lakitu came to them with the starting lights and said, "Well Koopalings, this is it! The race is now ready to begin and before we do that, shall we proceed with the rules?"

"Of course! We can't start without that!" Ludwig replied.

"Alright then, here it is! As always, there will be three laps around this track and along the way, you'll drive into these item boxes. These items will help you along the way as the race progresses, so use them wisely. Remember, this is an exhibition race and remember, have fun! OK?" Lakitu asked them.

"OK!" The Koopalings replied with a smile.

"Alright then! Now that everything is out of the way, we can now start the race! So Koopalings, are you ready for the official countdown to the race?" Lakitu said to them.

"_**YES!**_" The Koopalings agreed.

"Good. Now when I say '3, 2, 1... GO!', then you'll start driving. OK guys, here comes the first red light." Lakitu said to them as he turned on the starting lights. And with that, the timer started.

"3..." Lakitu started as the first red light came on.

Not one member spoke.

"2..." He said as the center light came up.

Everyone watched the lights as the final red light came up, which signals the final second before the green light.

"1..." Lakitu said as the Koopalings braced themselves for their first race ever. Everyone held their breath and then...

It's go time...

"GO!"

With the word shouted, the light turned green and then, the Koopalings took off in a cloud of dust. The crowd cheered for the Koopalings as Lakitu said, "And away they go! The first official race with the Koopalings is now underway! Now that is what I call a race for the Koopas!"

And so begins the first official race for the Koopalings.


	35. The Koopalings' Time Trial

**The Koopalings' Mario Kart Time Trial**

It's a beautiful day at Mario Circuit where the Koopalings are walking on the track, which is shaped like a figure eight. Iggy smiled and said, "Wow, I can't believe that we're in the Mario Kart 8 Grand Prix and we are so pumped for this."

"That's right, Iggy." Roy replied, "We have three more months until the competition starts and we were just thinking if we could do some time trials to prepare for the big race in May. So, are you with me guys?"

"We're in!" The Koopalings agreed.

"Great! To the starting line, guys!" Roy said as the Koopalings prepared for their first time trial.

When they got there, they saw Lakitu. He came to them and said, "Hey guys! What brings you here?"

"We're going to do some time trials for the big competition in May." Larry replied, "So that is what we're going to do."

"Well, you came to the right place! Now, I'm going to give you a Triple Mushroom. These will help you in your run, so use them wisely." Lakitu said to them as they were given a Triple Mushroom. Then he said, "Alright then, now it's time to decide the first person who will be taking on this track so, let's spin the wheel and find our first driver."

Then Lakitu spun the wheel and then, it stopped on Wendy. He came to Wendy and said, "Well Wendy, it looks like you're the first person who is going to tackle the track so, shall we proceed to the starting line?"

Wendy smiled and said, "It would be my pleasure, Lakitu. Let's drive!"

So Wendy hopped in to her kart and placed the mushrooms in the item slot. Lakitu came to her with the starting lights and said, "Alright Wendy, are you ready?"

"Let's do it!" Wendy replied with a smile.

"OK then, here we go! 3, 2, 1... _**GO!**_" Lakitu said as the green light came up, which allows Wendy to get a rocket start.

Wendy did her best to travel across the track and after all three laps, Lakitu waved the checkered flag and said, "**_FINISH!_** You got a race time of 1:28:20. Nicely done, Wendy!"

"Thank you, Lakitu." Wendy replied as she returned to her brothers.

Then Lakitu spun the wheel once again and said, "OK, let's see who will take on the track next and this time, it's going to be Larry!"

"Leave it to me!" Larry replied as he entered his kart. Then Lakitu did his work and then, Larry took off in an instant.

After all three laps, Larry scored a race time of 1:28:88. Lakitu smiled and said, "That's a great score, Larry! 1:28:88."

"Nice!" Larry said with a smile.

Then it was Iggy's turn and he scored 1:30:50. After that, Lemmy raced very well and scored 1:25:00. Roy tackled the track as well and finished with a score of 1:27:55 and Ludwig did his run with a time of 1:30:00. Now all that remains is Morton Koopa Jr.

Lakitu came to Morton and said, "OK Morton, it all comes down to you. The time to beat is 1:25:00 and that is set by Lemmy. So, are you ready to hit the track?"

"Of course! I love to drive on this track and after all, I'm the last person so, let's do this!" Morton replied as he entered his kart. Then he placed his mushrooms on the slot and then, Morton is ready to go.

Lakitu came to him and said, "Alright Morton, this is it! Are you ready to drive?"

"All set and ready to go! Lakitu, shine the green light!" Morton replied with a thumbs up.

Lakitu agreed and said, "Alright then, here it comes!"

Then he pushed the button on the signal and then, the timer started.

"3, 2, 1..." Lakitu said as the red lights came up.

Everyone watched Morton as the red lights changed to green. Lakitu saw it and then, it's go time...

"**_GO!_**"

With the word shouted, Morton stepped on the gas pedal and then, he took off with a strong boost of speed. Morton smiled to himself and said, "Yeah! Now that's a rocket start!"

After all three laps around the track, Morton crossed the finish line! Lakitu waved the checkered flag and said, "Whoa! Now that is a what I call a fast finish!"

Then Lakitu came to Morton and said, "Well Morton, it looks like you have the fastest race time in this time trial! So, shall we take a look at your final score?"

"Lay it on me, Lakitu!" Morton replied with a smile.

"Alright then, here it is. Morton Koopa Jr., your final score in this run is..." Lakitu said to him as the stopwatch did its work.

Everyone held their breath as the stopwatch finished its job with a ding. Lakitu looked at the stopwatch and then, he made his announcement...

"**_1:20:00!_**"

As Lakitu saw his score, Morton can't believe it. He has scored the best time in Mario Circuit.

All of the Koopalings cheered for Morton as they gave him a round of applause and a big hug. It has been a fantastic day for the Koopalings!


	36. Yoshi's Baby Park Time Trial

**Yoshi's Baby Park Time Trial**

It's a fantastic day for a race at Baby Park as Yoshi is about to start his time trial. Yoshi loves to race against his friends and today he's feeling pride about this solo run. So Yoshi hopped in his traditional green go-kart and waited for Lakitu to give the signal to start the race.

Just then, Lakitu came in and said, "Hey Yoshi! You're feeling pumped for this time trial?"

"That's right, Lakitu!" Yoshi replied with a pride smile, "I'm so very happy for this amazing run and when I'm done with this, I'll be very proud for Mario and his friends."

"That is what I like to hear about and now, let's get started with this time trial. Remember, you have five laps around Baby Park. Got it?" Lakitu asked as he took out his starting lights from his cloud.

"Got it!" Yoshi agreed with pride confidence.

"Alright then, let's get this run started! Yoshi, start your engines!" Lakitu said as Yoshi started his engines.

Yoshi looked at the road and thought, "_Alright Yoshi, you can do this. You've got a lot of pride in this time trial and I have five laps to do this. It's time to race!_"

Now Yoshi turns his attention on Lakitu and the starting lights as Lakitu said, "Ready, Yoshi?"

"All set!" Yoshi agreed with a smile, "Lakitu, start the countdown!"

"You got it! The time trial will now commence in 3, 2, 1..." Lakitu said as three red lights appeared from right to left on the signal and then...

The green light went off as Lakitu said the word to start Yoshi's time trial...

"**_GO!_**"

With the word shouted, Yoshi stepped on the gas pedal and his green go-kart came out of the starting line, leaving Lakitu in a cloud of dust. Lakitu smiled to himself and said, "Wow! That kart sped out of the starting line when I finish the countdown to the start of the race. I guess I'm feeling pride as well. I love Mario Kart racing!"

So Lakitu decided to use his stopwatch and time Yoshi on his time trial as Yoshi raced around the track for five laps.

When Yoshi was done with his fifth and final lap, he crossed the finish line! Lakitu waved the checkered flag and said, "**_FINISH!_** That was awesome! You have a total race time of one minute! That is the best time on this track! I'm proud of you, buddy."

"Thanks, Lakitu!" Yoshi said with pride, "I love a time trial and I think that I will... **_GO AGAIN!_**"

"Alright!" Lakitu said with a big smile, "Let's do it again!"

So Yoshi and Lakitu ran to the starting line once again as Yoshi hopped in to his green go-kart. Then Lakitu took out his lights and said, "Ready to go again?"

"You got it!" Yoshi replied with a thumbs up.

"Then on the count of three, you may begin. 3, 2, 1... **_GO!_**" Lakitu shouted as the signal light shined green once more, which allows the green go-kart to speed out of the starting line once again.

And so, Yoshi had a great race and he felt pride about it.


	37. The Koopalings' First Balloon Battle

**The Koopalings' First Balloon Battle**

It's a beautiful day for a Balloon Battle match at Funky Stadium as the crowd cheered for this amazing competition. Lakitu came in to the stadium and said, "Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome to a very special edition of Mario Kart and what a better way to spend this afternoon by having a Balloon Battle right here in Funky Stadium!"

As Lakitu heard this, the crowd roared with approval. Then he said, "That's right, folks! Today's match is going to be a good one because for the first time ever, we have the Koopalings facing off against each other in their first ever battle! So, shall we meet the competitors?"

"_**YEAH!**_" The crowd agreed as they cheered.

Lakitu agreed with them and said, "Alright then, let's meet them! Ladies and gentlemen, here they come! The seven siblings with a passion for racing... _**THE KOOPALINGS!**_"

Just then, the seven karts came in as the Koopalings entered the stadium for the first time with the crowd cheering for them. When they got there, they received a standing ovation as they took a bow. Lakitu came to them with a microphone and said, "Great to see you again, guys."

"Thank you, Lakitu" Iggy replied, "We are definitely looking forward for this amazing match-up against each other."

"Yeah! This is going to be a great match." Roy added.

"I see. Now Wendy, it looks like you have some fans cheering for you today, right?" Lakitu asked her.

"Of course, Mr. Lakitu. We love to see everyone here for this amazing showdown." Wendy replied, "That is what Mario Kart is all about. You race against each other, you battle against each other."

"That's right, Wendy." Larry added. "Whether is racing on Rainbow Road or battling at Funky Stadium, it is always the same thing! So, play fair."

"Try your best." Morton added.

"And most importantly..." Ludwig finished.

"_**HAVE FUN!**_" The Koopalings all said at the same time as the crowd made its biggest cheer.

Lakitu saw it all and said, "Wow! That is a great speech, guys. You really impressed the crowd."

"Thank you, Lakitu!" The Koopalings replied.

Then Lakitu said, "Alright guys, I think it is time to get this battle started and to do that, you'll need balloons so, let's bring them in!"

Just then, 21 balloons came into the stadium as the crowd cheered for this. Then Lakitu said, "There it is, guys! All 21 balloons are here on this stage but, only three can be given to each contestant and there are seven of you so, we'll do a random drawing to determine your color for this battle and I have it right here in this box so, who will go first?"

"I do, Lakitu!" Larry replied as he came to the box. Then he pulled out a green token and said, "Green!"

"Three green balloons for Larry!" Lakitu announced as Larry was given three green balloons. Then he said, "Alright then, who's next?"

"Me!" Iggy said as he pulled out an orange token, which gives him three orange balloons.

"OK! Anyone else?" Lakitu asked them.

"I want some balloons!" Roy replied with a smile.

"Alright then, pick a token!" Lakitu said as Roy pulled out a purple one.

"Purple balloons? I'll take it! Three, please." Roy said as Lakitu gave him three purple balloons.

Then Lemmy took out a blue one, which earns him three blue balloons.

"OK! There are now nine balloons left and we still have three more players waiting to get theirs so, who's next?" Lakitu asked.

"I do! I hope I'll get a pink one." Wendy replied as she came to the box.

Then she pulled out a pink token and Wendy said, "Yay! I got pink, Lakitu!"

"Well done, Wendy! Here are three pink balloons for this battle. Enjoy!" Lakitu said with a smile.

"Thank you, Lakitu! You're a great friend." Wendy replied as she accepted the balloons while giving him a kiss in the cheek.

Then Lakitu came to Morton and Ludwig and said, "OK Morton and Ludwig, it all comes to this. We have six balloons left on this stage. Three of them are red, and other three are yellow so, let's do a coin toss to see who gets those balloons, OK?"

"OK!" Morton and Ludwig agreed as Lakitu took out a coin.

Lakitu smiled to Ludwig and said, "Ludwig, it's your call."

"Heads!" Ludwig replied as Lakitu tossed the coin.

Then Lakitu caught it in his hand and said, "OK! Let's see the results of the toss, shall we?"

"Will do, Lakitu. Show us the coin." Ludwig replied with a smile.

Morton agreed with him as Lakitu said, "Alright then, here it comes..."

And then, the coin shows a head. Lakitu came to them and said, "And it's heads! Great choice, Ludwig! So, what's it going to be, red or yellow?"

"I'll have the red balloons and Morton will take the yellow one." Ludwig replied with a smile.

"OK then! Three red balloons for Ludwig, and yellow for Morton." Lakitu said as he gave them the final six balloons. Then he said, "Well then, now that everyone has three balloons, shall we proceed to your karts for the first Balloon Battle?"

"_**YES!**_" The Koopalings agreed with a smile.

"Great! Koopalings... _**TO YOUR KARTS!**_" Lakitu announced as the Koopalings entered their respective colored karts. At long last, the first ever Balloon Battle is about to begin.

Lakitu came to them with the traffic lights and said, "Alright then, here's how it works. You have three minutes to pop your opponents' balloons. If you do, you'll score a point. If all of your balloons are popped, then you'll lose a point. You'll earn a bonus point by popping all three balloons held by an opponent As always, there are Item Boxes scattered across the stadium. They are the keys to this battle. At the end of three minutes, whoever has the most points, wins. Got it?"

"Got it!" The Koopalings replied at the same time.

Lakitu agreed with them and said, "Alright then, let's bring in the scoreboard!"

Then the scoreboard appeared on the screen, which shows the total score for each Koopaling and along with that, it has a timer.

Lakitu saw it all and said, "OK then, now we need some time for the Koopalings so, let's put three minutes on the board if you please!"

The scoreboard agreed as the time limit is set for three minutes. And with that, the battle is officially set.

Lakitu looked at it and said, "Well then, now that everything is all set, we can now start the battle! So Koopalings, are you ready for your very first Balloon Battle in Mario Kart history?"

"_**YES! LET'S BATTLE!**_" The Koopalings shouted at the same time.

Lakitu agreed with them and said, "Alright then, the battle begins when you see the green light. Remember, the Koopaling with the most points, wins. And now ladies and gentlemen, it is time at last. The countdown to the very first Balloon Battle with the Koopalings starts..."

"Wait!" Larry interrupted.

Lakitu came to him and said, "What is it, Larry? Do you have anything you would like to say to our readers before we begin?"

"Yes, I just want to say that this month is the month everyone is waiting for!" Larry replied with a smile, "This month, Mario Kart 8 is going to be released on the Wii U and we're in it!"

The crowd cheered for this announcement as Larry continued on, "That's right, everyone! We're going to be in the race along with Mario and the crew and of course, we have two new faces joining us in the roster including Baby Rosalina and Pink Gold Peach! So, start your engines because on May 30, we'll be racing for the first time ever in the biggest Mario Kart game yet! Be there!"

When Larry was done, the crowd roared with approval as he took a bow. Lakitu saw it all and said, "Wow! That is a fantastic speech you made."

"Thank you, Lakitu!" Larry replied, "We are definitely looking forward for our big debut and like I said earlier, it's going to be fun."

"Well, I hope that everyone is going to be very excited when you compete for the first time, OK?"

"OK!" Larry agreed as he revved up his engine, waiting for the battle to begin.

Lakitu smiled to himself with the traffic lights and said, "A speech from Larry prior to the start of the battle. I love it. Now as I was saying, the countdown to the very first Balloon Battle with the Koopalings starts... _**NOW!**_"

With the word shouted, Lakitu pressed the button on the signal and with that, the timer started.

"3, 2, 1..." Lakitu announced as the red lights came up, ready to change to green at any moment.

Everyone held their breath and then...

It's go time.

"_**GO!**_"

With the word shouted, the lights turned green and the Koopalings made their first move. At long last, the battle is now underway!

The battle was fast and intense for the Koopalings as the scoreboard keeps adding up the points for each one of the seven players and just like that, the battle is nearly done with only thirty seconds left.

"Thirty seconds left!" Lakitu announced.

As the timer ticked down, there were shells and bananas flying everywhere in the stadium. It is a battle to the finish as the timer ticked down to the final ten seconds.

Lakitu saw the timer and began counting down the final seconds, "Ten seconds left! 9, 8, 7, 6..."

The crowd saw it all and joined in as well.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

_BUZZ!_

The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the match. Lakitu heard it and said, "_**FINISH!**_"

The stadium roared with approval as the three-minute battle finally came to an end for the Koopalings. Lakitu came to them and said, "That was an amazing three-minute battle you just did and the crowd loved it! So, shall we go to the scoreboard to see who is the winner?"

"_**YES!**_" The Koopalings agreed as they turn their attention at the scoreboard, waiting for the final scores.

Lakitu agreed with them and said, "Alright then, let's start with Larry! Scoreboard, what is Larry's final score?"

The scoreboard agreed as Larry's score appeared on the screen. It said, "Larry scored 10 points!"

"Ten points for Larry!" Lakitu announced as Larry jumped in the air. Then he said, "Alright Iggy, it's your turn. Shall we take a look?"

"Yes, please!" Iggy replied

"OK then! Scoreboard, show us Iggy's score if you please." Lakitu said to the board.

The scoreboard made a ding and it said, "Iggy scored 10 points!"

"Nicely done, Iggy! That's ten for you!" Lakitu said to him, "You're tied for the lead with Larry!"

"Thank you, Lakitu!" Iggy replied as he stood next to Larry.

Then Wendy, Lemmy, Roy and Ludwig scored ten points as well. Now all that remains is Morton Koopa Jr.

Lakitu came to Morton and said, "OK Morton, this is it! To win the battle, you need eleven points or more. If you do, then you'll be the very first winner in this Balloon Battle. So Morton Koopa Jr., are you ready for the final results?"

Morton took a deep breath and said, "All set and ready to go! Lakitu... _**SHOW ME THE FINAL SCORE!**_"

Lakitu agreed with him and said, "Alright then, here it comes! Scoreboard, may we see Morton Koopa Jr.'s score if you please?"

The scoreboard agreed as it said, "Morton Koopa Jr.'s final score is..."

Everyone in the stadium held their breath as Morton Koopa Jr. is just seconds away from winning the battle. He watched the scoreboard very closely and waited for his final score as the scoreboard continues to add up until...

_DING!_

The final score has been revealed...

"_**TEN POINTS!**_"

Morton saw it all and said, "Ten points? I'll take it! So, do we have a winner?"

Lakitu agreed with him and said, "Yes we do, Morton! And do you know who it is?"

"It's us!" Morton said with a smile.

Lakitu agreed with him and said, "That's right, Morton! The winners of the Balloon Battle is... _**YOU!**_"

As Lakitu heard those words, The Koopalings all came in and hugged each other for a tie match as the crowd cheered for them. Then Lakitu said, "Congratulations, Koopalings! You finished the match with a tie! How do you feel?"

"It feels great! I can't wait for a rematch!" Larry replied with a smile.

Everyone agreed as the Koopalings finished another great match.


	38. Mario Kart Stadium Poem

**Mario Kart Stadium Poem**

Mario Kart Stadium, a course fit for everyone.

Located in the Mushroom Cup and it is track number one.

The stadium has cheering fans from around the kingdom.

And everyone loves to have fun.

With hairpin turns and anti-gravity.

Everyone is racing you see.

And as the racers pass by

You'll see fireworks exploding in the night sky.

So if you're looking for a great race

Then Mario Kart Stadium is the place.


	39. Mario Kart 8: The Start of the Race

**Mario Kart 8: The Start of the Race**

It's a beautiful evening at Mario Kart Stadium where the first race of the Mario Kart 8 Grand Prix is about to take place. Everyone in the stadium is so excited for this huge race as Lakitu came in with the microphone in his hand. He said, "Good evening, Mushroom Kingdom! I'm your referee Lakitu and it is my pleasure to welcome you to the very first race of the Mario Kart 8 Grand Prix!"

As Lakitu heard those words, the stadium roared with applause as fireworks begin to go off. Then he said, "That's right, folks! The first race is just a few minutes away and to do that, we're going to need a starting grid for 12 racers so, let's meet the racers!"

As it on cue, the 12 go-karts came to the starting grid for the first race. The starting grid consists of the Koopalings, Baby Rosalina, Pink Gold Peach, Mario, Luigi, and Dragon Puncher.

Lakitu came to them and said, "Welcome to the race, everyone!"

"Thank you for having me, Lakitu! It's an honor to be here in this competition." I replied, "This is going to be the best competition we're going to have and I can't wait to see the green light."

"That's right, Dragon. This is the first race and everyone is here to see it all unfold." Lakitu said, "So, is everyone ready to go?"

"Let's do it!" Everyone replied at the same time.

"Alright then, here we go! Ladies and gentlemen... _**START YOU ENGINES!**_"

Just then, twelve engines came to life as the crowd cheered very loudly. This was it. The race is now ready to begin.

Lakitu came to them with the traffic light and said, "Alright everyone, I want a good clean race and remember, have fun! OK guys, this is it. Are you ready to race?"

"_**YES!**_" The racers replied.

"Then without further ado, the countdown to the very first race begins... _**NOW!**_" Lakitu announced as he pushed the green button, which starts the light sequence. It's time to race.

"3, 2, 1..." Lakitu said as three red lights came up, ready to change at the final word. Everyone watched the lights and then...

It's go time as Lakitu and the audience said the final word as one...

"_**GO!**_"

With the word shouted, the light turned green and all 12 racers took off. The race is now underway as Lakitu said, "And there it is! The first race is now underway! Now that is a historic moment for Mario Kart racing!"

And so begins the first race.


	40. Dragon Puncher's Mario Kart TV Debut

**Dragon Puncher's Mario Kart TV Debut**

It's a beautiful day at the Mario Kart TV studios where today is my first day hosting on the network. Lakitu came to me and said, "This is it, Dragon! Your very first broadcast in front of millions of people. Are you excited for this?"

"Of course I'm excited. This is going to be a great day for us when we go on the air." I replied with a smile.

Lakitu agreed with me and said, "That's right, Dragon. Well, let's get ready because we're going live in three minutes."

After a few minutes of preparations, the first broadcast is about to begin. Lakitu came to me and said, "Are you ready for your debut?"

"Let's do this!" I replied with a smile.

Lakitu agreed and said, "OK then, here we go!"

Just then, the On Air sign flashed and at long last, we're on the air.

"Good morning, Mushroom Kingdom! It's seven o'clock and you're tuned in to Mario Kart TV, the only network where you'll get Mario Kart racing all the time! I'm Lakitu." Lakitu said.

"And I'm Dragon Puncher! Thank you for joining us this morning on the Morning Show and we begin today with some highlights from the Mushroom Cup!" I said.

"That's right Dragon! The Mushroom Cup was jam packed with exciting races including the first victory for Mario at Mario Kart Stadium. Let's take a look at our first highlight of the day, shall we?"

"We shall indeed! Roll it!" I said as the first highlight appeared on the screen.

After a fantastic morning of highlights, Lakitu said, "Well folks, that is all the time we have for you today and before we go, we want tell you that tonight is the Special Cup Finals! It is a tie between Mario and Bowser after three races but tonight, one of them could be walking out of here with the trophy. Who will it be? Find out as we go live to Rainbow Road for this amazing rivalry. We'll have complete coverage tonight at 8 with the green light at 9."

"That's right, Lakitu! The race is tonight at Rainbow Road and we'll have a recap of all the action on tomorrow's show, so don't miss it!" I said, "Also coming up tomorrow, the Koopalings are going to be here on their amazing performance in the Star Cup and of course, more highlights from around the league. Until then, I'm Dragon Puncher."

"And I'm Lakitu. From all of us here at Mario Kart TV, have a great day and..."

"_**HAPPY RACING!**_" We both shouted.

"See you tonight for the race!" Lakitu said.

"Take care, folks!" I replied as we finished the show.

Then Lakitu said, "That was a great show, Dragon! We did it together as a team."

"You said it, Lakitu. Say, can I do tomorrow's show all by myself?" I asked.

"Of course you can!" Lakitu said with a smile.

The next day, I was at the hosting desk when suddenly, the sign flashed once again. I said, "Good morning, Mushroom Kingdom! It's seven o'clock and that means it's time for the Morning Show on Mario Kart TV! I'm Dragon Puncher and it's an honor to be your host once again this morning. We begin today with a close finish for the trophy at Rainbow Road in the Special Cup Finals."

And so begins my morning broadcast.


	41. 22nd Anniversary Special Poem

**22nd Anniversary Special Poem**

Mario Kart is a series

A series for you

It all began with Super Mario Kart

Which debuted in 1992

From rocket starts to anti-gravity

The series has it all

Now entering its 22nd year

You'll never fall

So if you're looking for a race

Then this is the series to play

When you're racing in Mario Kart

You'll never get away

So enjoy the green light

And have some fun

This is Mario Kart

A kart racing series for everyone!


	42. Mario Awards Special

**Mario Awards Special (Special Thanks to the Super Mario Wiki)**

It's a beautiful day at Mario Kart Stadium where today is a very special day. It is the eighth annual Mario Awards and everyone is gearing up for this amazing occasion! Lakitu came in and said, "Good afternoon, everyone! I hope you're ready to race to the finish because it is time to crown your favorite Mario Kart game!"

As Lakitu heard this announcement, the crowd roared with excitement. Then he said, "That's right, folks! One of these games could win this and with 2,761 votes cast in the poll, it is going to be a great presentation! So, which game is number one? Well, let's find out as we reveal your results!"

Just then, the screen shows the games and the vote totals for each one as Lakitu said, "Before we get to the top eight, let's find out which games are write-ins and they are Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX with a combined total of three votes. So, let's put them both on our scoreboard!"

Just then, the scoreboard shows the bottom two write-ins as Lakitu said, "OK! With these two games out of the way, let's go straight to it and we begin with number eight. In eighth place, with a finishing total of 22 votes is Super Mario Kart! This game started the entire series!"

The crowd cheered as Super Mario Kart appeared on the board with 22 votes. Then Lakitu said, "Moving on to seventh place is Super Circuit with 31 votes, followed by Mario Kart 64 with 145. Scoreboard, if you would please!"

The scoreboard agreed as the games are on the board. Lakitu smiled to the crowd and said, "Finishing in fifth place is Mario Kart DS with a vote count of 161, and rounding out our list in fourth place is Mario Kart 7 with 211 votes!"

The crowd cheered once again as these games are ranked fourth and fifth respectively. Lakitu saw it all and said, "Well folks, it all comes down to this! We are now ready to reveal your top three games! Hidden behind these three envelopes are the final results and I'm going to announce them in order, starting with third place. So without further delay, here we go!"

Then Lakitu opened up the bronze envelope and said, "With a grand total of 417 votes, the bronze trophy goes to a game that has two characters in a kart. That's right, it's Mario Kart: Double Dash and here to accept the bronze trophy is Petey Piranha!"

Just then, Petey appeared on the podium and accepted the prize from Lakitu for claiming third place. Then Lakitu said, "Congratulations on your third place finish, Petey!"

"Thanks, Lakitu! I'm so glad to be part of this game and it is a huge achievement for me." Petey replied with a smile as the crowd cheered.

Lakitu then opened up the silver envelope and said, "Alright, then! Let's continue on with the silver trophy. Finishing in second place with a grand total of 484 votes is a game that introduced 12-player racing! The silver trophy for this category goes to Mario Kart Wii and here to claim this prize is Toadette!"

Just then, Toadette appeared on the podium and accepted the silver trophy from Lakitu. She said, "Thank you, Mr. Lakitu! I'm so glad to be here on this stage to accept this award for finishing in second place! It's a dream come true!"

Lakitu agreed with her and said, "That's right, Toadette! You were dreaming of this to happen and now, it came true! Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" Toadette replied as she held the trophy up high for finishing in second place.

Lakitu held up the golden envelope and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, it all comes down to this! Inside this golden envelope that I'm holding is the final game that you have chosen and before I read this, I just want to give a very special thanks to the Super Mario Wiki for making this award ceremony! So without any further delay, it is time to crown your favorite Mario Kart game! Are you ready?"

"_**YEAH!**_" The crowd agreed as they cheered.

"Alright then, here we go! Drum roll, please!" Lakitu announced as the drum roll began. Then he said, "The winner of this category is a game that has HD graphics, an orchestrated score, and the ability to eliminate the Spiny Shell with the Super Horn. With a grand total of 1,286 votes, your favorite Mario Kart game for 2014 is..."

Everyone in the stadium held their breath as Lakitu opened up the golden envelope. When the drum roll was finished, he took the card out of the envelope, looked at it for a few seconds and then...

The final game is revealed...

"_**MARIO KART 8!**_"

Everyone in the stadium cheered very loudly as fireworks begin to go off all across the stadium. Then Lakitu said "Now, here to accept this golden trophy are Bowser's seven minions, the Koopalings! Come on in, guys!"

Just then, Larry, Lemmy, Iggy, Roy, Morton, Ludwig, and Wendy came to the middle of the podium as Lakitu presented the trophy to the winners. Then he said, "Congratulations, guys!"

"Thank you, Lakitu!" Larry replied as he accepted the trophy from him with the crowd cheering, "It's a real honor to win this award thanks to you! You've made us very happy when we made our Mario Kart debut for the first time. Thank you for supporting us and I hope that you'll keep playing Mario Kart 8 until the very end."

"That's right, Larry." Morton said, "We are so glad to be here on this special day because it is also Mario Kart's 22nd birthday this month. I just want to say thank you to Nintendo for making this game, the Super Mario Wiki for giving us the honor to win this award, and most importantly, my very special thanks goes to you, the fans. You have made us very proud and I like it! Rock on, Mario Kart fans!"

When Morton was done, the crowd roared with excitement as they kept on cheering for the Koopalings as they held the trophy up high with confetti falling on them. It has been a fantastic day for the Koopalings and for the Mario Kart series.


	43. 22nd Anniversary Special Race

**Mario Kart's 22nd Anniversary Special Race: Koopa King vs. Koopa Prince**

It's a beautiful day at Mario Kart Stadium where today is a very special day. It is Mario Kart's 22nd anniversary and everyone is excited for this special anniversary race as the crowd cheered for this amazing achievement.

Just then, Lakitu came in and said, "Good afternoon, race fans! Today is a very special day for us because it is officially Mario Kart's 22nd Anniversary!"

As Lakitu heard this amazing announcement, the crowd roared very loudly as the screen shows this amazing achievement. It says 'Mario Kart: 22 Years and Still Racing'.

Then Lakitu said, "That's right, folks! It has been 22 years since we started this competition and today's race is going to be very special because we have two Koopas battling it out in a special anniversary race to the finish! So, shall we meet them?"

"_**YEAH!**_" The crowd agreed as they cheered.

"Then without any further delay, it is my pleasure to present to you our two racers for today. Ladies and gentlemen, here they come! The Koopa King and Prince... _**BOWSER & BOWSER JR.!**_"

Just then, two karts came in to the starting line and in steps Bowser and Jr. The crowd cheered for them as they made their way to the line. Then Lakitu came to them and said, "Welcome to the race, guys!"

"Thank you for having us on this special day! We are so excited for this anniversary race!" Bowser replied, "We're going to have a great time today. Right, son?"

"That's right, dad. Just the two of us in a very special race to the finish!" Junior agreed with a smile.

Lakitu smiled to them and said, "Of course it is going to be a very special race and before we get you in your karts, shall we take a look at the course?"

"Let's see it!" Bowser said as the screen shows the course map.

Then Lakitu said, "You'll begin the race by going straight before making a right turn towards the anti-gravity section. From there, you'll make a left turn before going to a raised hairpin turn. After that, you'll glide down to the track before making one final left turn to the finish line. That is what you'll be driving on in this course for this anniversary race."

When Lakitu was done with the course layout, he said, "Well then, now that we have the course all laid out for you, shall we proceed to your karts?"

"Let's do it!" Bowser and Jr. said at the same time.

"Alright then, here we go! Bowser and Bowser Jr... _**START YOUR ENGINES!**_"

Just then, the crowd cheered for them as Bowser and Jr. entered their green and orange karts. After that, they turned on their engines as they shook their hands. At long last, the anniversary race is about to begin.

Lakitu came to them with the signal light and said, "Well guys, this is it! The race is about to begin and as always, I'm going to give you three laps around this course. Now then, before we go any further, I have a very special surprise for the both of you. Since today is a very special day here, I'm pleased to announce that for this race there will be... _**NO ITEMS!**_"

As Lakitu heard those words, the Item Boxes disappeared from the track. Bowser saw it all and said, "I like this surprise! Now we can race by ourselves with no items to use! Thanks, Lakitu!"

Lakitu smiled at him and replied, "You're very welcome! Well, it all comes down to this. You are now just seconds away from starting this anniversary race and with that, I'm going to ask you this very important question. Bowser and Bowser Jr... _**ARE YOU READY?**_"

"**_YES!_**" Bowser and Jr. replied at the same time.

"Alright then, the race begins when you see the green light. Guys, good luck to the both of you and have fun out there. So without any further delay, it is time for me to say the magic words: Ladies and gentlemen, let the countdown... _**BEGIN!**_"

With the word shouted, Lakitu pressed the green button on the signal, which starts the timer to begin racing with the first light shining red. At long last, it's time to race.

"3..."

Not a single member spoke. Then, the next red light came on.

"2..."

Both Bowser and Jr. held their breath as the final red light appeared on the signal.

"1..."

Everything grew silent as Bowser and Jr. is just one word away from starting their biggest race to honor the series' 22nd anniversary. They revved up their engines for the last time, waited for the light to change and then...

It is time...

"**_GO!_**"

With the word shouted and the light turned green, both Bowser and Jr. sped out of the starting line with a strong rocket start. The race is now officially underway as Lakitu said, "And there it is! The race is now underway as Bowser and Jr. left the starting line with a rocket start! Now that is my favorite part about Mario Kart racing during these 22 years and that is starting the race. Well, have fun guys!"

While Bowser and Jr. were racing, Jr. said, "I love racing! That is what Mario Kart is all about! Right, dad?"

Bowser smiled and said, "That's right! We love racing together and that is why we're celebrating this amazing day with a nice race with my son. Happy anniversary, Mario Kart! Now then, shall we finish this race, son?"

"You got it, dad!" Jr. agreed as they kept on racing to the finish line. That is the true meaning of Mario Kart racing.


	44. Bowser Jr's Championship Coin Toss

**Bowser Jr.'s Championship Coin Toss**

It's a beautiful day at Mario Kart Stadium and Bowser Jr. is enjoying his day of racing in the Mario Kart Grand Prix. Now he is waiting for the final results and soon, the title of Mario Kart Grand Champion will be his.

Lakitu came in with the envelope and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the final results are in for the title of Mario Kart Grand Champion! So, which three drivers will enter the podium? Well, let's find out right now as we add up the points. Remember, the driver with the most points will earn the gold trophy. Alright then, here we go!"

Then Lakitu opened up the envelope and said, "So, let's begin with the bronze trophy. The driver who will receive this trophy with a final score of 788 points is Wario! Come on up, buddy."

Wario smiled and accepted the prize for finishing in third place. Then Lakitu said, "Alright then, let's continue on to our next award and let's find out who will win the gold trophy. So, without further delay, the Grand Champion of this year's Mario Kart Grand Prix is..."

When Lakitu opened up the envelope, he was shocked when he saw two names on the card. Lakitu looked at it and said, "Well, it looks like we have a tie for first place and they are Bowser Jr. and Koopa Troopa! Both drivers finished the Grand Prix with 880 points and now, the golden trophy will be won with one single thing... _**A COIN TOSS!**_"

Both Bowser Jr. and Koopa Troopa came up to Lakitu for their biggest challenge, a coin toss for the title of Grand Champion. Lakitu smiled at them with the coin and said, "Koopa and Bowser Jr., congratulations on making it this far but, now it all comes down to this. One single toss of the coin will determine the winner of this tournament and here's how it works. This side has a paintbrush, and the other side has a shell. Whichever picture lands face up will become the Mario Kart Grand Champion. Now then, are you guys ready?"

"Yes." Bowser Jr. and Koopa replied at the same time, waiting for their biggest decision.

Laskitu held the coin steady and said, "Alright then, here we go! One, two, three... _**FLIP!**_"

With the word shouted, Lakitu flipped the coin in the air and as they await the final results, it seems like slow motion for the stadium as the coin kept on flipping. It is only a matter of time before the final announcement. Everyone watched the coin as it begins to drop and then, Lakitu caught it and covered it in his wrist. The final announcement is set.

Lakitu said, "Bowser Jr. and Koopa, the coin has been tossed and the final announcement is set. One of you is about to become the Mario Kart Grand Champion so, let's see which picture is on the coin. Drum roll, please!"

With the words shouted, the drum roll began and the stadium grew silent. Lakitu looked at the coin and said, "The picture that is on the coin is..."

Everything grew silent as Lakitu is just seconds away from revealing the winner. He uncovered his hand and then...

The coin shows a picture of a paintbrush and with that, Lakitu announced the final results.

"**_A PAINTBRUSH! THAT MEANS THE WINNER OF THE TOURNAMENT IS... BOWSER JR.!_**"

Bowser Jr. can't believe it! He has won the tournament for the first time ever thanks to a coin toss with the crowd making its biggest cheer. He spun in his shell and celebrated his official victory as confetti fell on the stadium. Then he came to Lakitu and gave him a hug as Koopa clapped for him.

Lakitu came to Koopa and said, "Well Koopa, you did a great job in this tournament and with that, you've finished in second place thanks to the coin toss. So, it gives me pleasure to present this silver trophy to you. Great job!"

"Thanks, Lakitu!" Koopa replied as he accepted his silver trophy.

Then Lakitu came to Bowser Jr. and said, "Bowser Jr. Koopa, you did it! You have won the Mario Kart Grand Prix and with that, you've earned this golden Grand Champion trophy! Take it, it's yours!"

Bowser Jr. smiled as he accepted the trophy for winning the tournament. Then he said, "Thank you, Lakitu! I'm so glad that I've won this tournament with a coin toss. I'm so happy!"

"Of course you are, buddy! The picture shown on the coin is indeed a paintbrush and with this result, you've done it! Congratulations, Bowser Jr.!" Lakitu said to him.

"Thank you! I'm taking this prize home so everyone can see this!" Bowser Jr. agreed as he held up the trophy very high. What a great day for Mario Kart racing!


	45. Rocket Start Poem

**Rocket Start Poem**

_At the starting line_

_Lies a kart_

_Waiting on the road_

_And the race will start_

_Watch the light_

_It can be seen_

_Once it was red_

_And now it is green_

_Sound the horn_

_And hit the gas_

_You got a rocket start_

_Now everyone can pass_


End file.
